Dragons and Anxiety
by brookie88
Summary: It is really bad timing for Hermione to get involved in another magical creature crusade. Harry is getting married, her owl is insane, and Draco Malfoy is very stressed. It is even worse timing for her to fall in love, especially with a dragon tamer who lives in Romania. HG/CW and HP/DM
1. The dragon

The first time Hermione thought about the dragon was when she went into Gringott's to switch over her accounts. It was just responsible to create separate accounts for savings and retirement, even if the goblins thought she was insane. Not to mention Ron.

"Mione, why would you need to have a separate vault? Just only spend what's in your budget."

"Ronald, I've worked it all out magically, when I receive my paycheck, a portion goes straight into my savings and self directed personal pension, or I mean my retirement fund. Then I have money transferred over to a muggle bank through the muggle banking liaison for The London Stock Exchange. It's simple. Frankly I can't believe more muggleborns aren't equally as sensible with their finances. After a year, I plan to diversify."

"Whatever you say Mione, I'm pretty sure you're the only witch to make banking so complicated," he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes thinking back on the exchange. Every time she tried to plan ahead in her life, one of those silly boys had something to say. Were they laughing now that she had 10 NEWTS? She didn't think so.

Were they laughing when she planned all their social engagements? No, they just showed up to the weekly trivia night without a care in the world. But it turns out planning the weekly event was extremely difficult thank you very much.

The night had to be rotated based off schedules, relationships, jobs, and sports for Merlin sakes. Ginny's Quidditch career didn't help, and nobody wanted to take on the responsibility. So it was left to her. As always.

Throw in a pesky wizard flu and it could be a disaster. She created a system of course, and if she had to owl each person to input their schedules every week, it was worth it. Even if poor Barnaby had to peck all their fingers to get them to comply.

It meant that the event was a success. It maximized the amount of people that could attend every week. And everyone was grateful, even if they did give her a hard time about it. She didn't care if Padma and Ron were fighting again, but it was still left to her to figure out if the twins would be in attendance each week without ruffling too many feathers.

Sometimes she just wanted to relax, sometimes she just wanted to show up to an event without planning the damn thing. Sometimes she wanted to let loose for fucks sake. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so.

She stomped up to the bank, her anxieties taking hold during her walk. Did Harry remember to give Kreacher the day off on Sunday? A house elf must have two days off a week under the new law!

Would Draco remember to bring the dip on Saturday? He had a special French recipe that was just divine! The pretentious bastard.

Would Neville bring the book he was talking about the other night or should she send a quick owl? She should probably owl him, just to be safe. She could buy the book, because Merlin knows she had enough money these days, but she had been teased relentlessly about her library. She didn't NEED to reread this particular book, she was quite sure of it. One read through would be enough, no reason to have the book take up prime real estate on her shelves.

Maybe she just needed a bigger flat? She mused as the goblin greeted her.

She was lost in thought as he led her deep below on the cart to the higher security vaults. She had opened each vault with a substantial amount of galleons and therefore had to survive the long ride on the cart.

That's when she saw him. The dragon.

"YOU'RE STILL USING DRAGONS TO GUARD VAULTS?" She was furious.

"Now miss, we agreed under the new law not to take on any more dragons for future vaults, but the law did not say anything about the vaults already utilizing dragons. This particular dragon has been here for over 30 years, and since YOU, set his mother free, he has no way of surviving on the outside." He gave her a smug grimace.

That wasn't true… was that true? She had not learned that in care of magical creatures. This goblin was lying, she was certain! A dragon could survive without its mother in the wild. There were individual dragons all over the continent. She wouldn't think about this another second.

Sure, she would have to go down to the office to get the law changed, perhaps a visit to Hagrid would be in order, but that was it! This was not her responsibility. She didn't even like dragons! She didn't feel guilty. It was war time! She had to do what she had to do… she didn't feel guilty. She was indifferent. She could care less about the dragon. Even if it was technically a baby dragon. Not even a baby. An adolescent dragon. Adolescents of all creatures were terrible. She didn't care. At all.

—

It turns out dragons DID need their mothers for a few years in the wild before they could go off by themselves. She was very disgruntled to find out. Most people at the ministry did NOT want to change the law.

"Granger, those dragons were hatched at Gringott's, they won't survive in the wild."

What did Malfoy know anyway. Just because she tolerated him these days for Harry, didn't mean he was the leading expert in dragons. Okay, so his name DID mean Dragon, but her name means "well born" and she was called a mudblood for half her life. What did names have to do with anything anyway? Why did he have to be so blunt all the time? Stupid Malfoy with his old world logic.

"Granger, please don't make this into one of your agendas. The house elves are still boycotting their holidays."

First of all she didn't appreciate his air quotes when he said the word agendas, and second of all, well she wasn't going to make this an agenda.

Just because it was human decency not to trap animals or magical creatures in dark caves attached to a chain did not mean she had to do anything about it.

She didn't even talk about it all that much. So when Ron called her "obsessive," well that stung just a little bit. She wasn't obsessive. Just because she felt one tenth responsible for the poor baby dragon, did not mean she was obsessive. Adolescent be damned, he was a sweet little 30 year old baby dragon.

Hagrid thought her new plight was brilliant! He wanted all the dragons free, his only caveat was that she find the dragon's mummy first.

"You'd be doing them an unkindness to set them free in the wild without their mums."He said.

The only reason Norbert had survived was because he never knew his mum and the dragon sanctuary they had sent him to, had nesting mothers ready to adopt him and this particular dragon was too old for another nesting mother to accept him.

That was it! She had an epiphany! Charlie! Charlie Weasley would know what to do. She wrote a letter at once.

—

She expected Charlie to owl back with information, she did not expect to see Charlie's face in her floo at 6:00 in the morning on a Saturday.

She did not expect to see Charlie in her floo when she was half naked.

He grinned at her, "morning Mione."

"Please call me Hermione. I hate that fucking nickname." She replied. Okay so she was not a morning person.

"Sorry," He grinned at her, "didn't interrupt anything did I?"

"Of course not, it's 6:00 in the bloody morning! I expected an owl Charlie. What is the meaning of this?"

"I COULD have owled you perhaps. However there was just too much to go over for the trip."

"The trip? What trip?" She gripped the blanket tightly around her body.

"To find the dragon's mum."

"Excuse me?"

"You want to find the dragon's mum and set it free in the wild, correct?"

"Well… Yes. Theoretically. Someone would find its mother and reunite them."

"Great! We should probably leave at once. This could get a little tricky and I know you're on a bit of a time frame. What with the hoopla and everything, and you should probably pack more substantial clothes, could get chilly." He winked.

"We? Hoopla? Chilly?" She thought it through. "Do you mean Harry's wedding? Excuse me, do you think I am to be accompanying you on some sort of dragon mission?"

"Yes."

She supposed Harry's wedding WAS becoming a bit of a hoopla, but according to Malfoy, that's just how these things were done in Pureblood marriages. He thought everything was quite sensible.

"I can't go with you Charlie. I have a job. A career. A life."

He raised his eyebrow at her last comment.

"Oh don't you start with me. You're abroad, you can't possibly know that I don't have a life." She put her hands on her hips in a familiar telling off gesture. Unfortunately it exposed her skimpy sleep shirt.

Charlie grinned slowly looking her up and down, "I get owls, you know Hermione." He enunciated her name carefully, "I've been told you need to get laid."

"Excuse me! Excuse me! Who said that?"

"I've had several interesting correspondences regarding you." He winked at her again. Hermione rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Charlie, I can't go with you. I'm far too busy." Hermione said.

"Suit yourself. Let me know if you change your mind." And with a smile he disappeared from the floo.

—

The second time she really dwelled on the dragon was at Teddy's birthday party.

"You did it dragon themed? Really?" Hermione raised her brow at Harry.

"Well it was you that gave me the idea. All that dragon talk. Pretty neat for a 5 year old right?" He sat down next to Malfoy and Ron.

"Mione, why did you turn down Charlie? He's the best person for the job you know." Ron asked.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and said something under his breath.

"What exactly is your problem Malfoy?" Hermione stood up to face him. Harry reached over to squeeze Malfoy's hand to calm him.

"Granger. We ALL know you are going to go on this little adventure with Charlie to save all the world's dragons. So why don't you do us all a favor and just agree to go already so that I don't have to hear about it anymore! I have much more on my plate than worrying about all your silly plights. Like maybe the wedding! Frankly you exhaust me."

"I don't know what you see in him," She fumed at Harry, before storming out of the room.

—

The third and final straw had been a letter from Luna.

_Thought you might enjoy the latest copy of The Quibbler. Much love, Luna. _

The headline: Dragon's forced to mate with Nargles for survival?

"Oh bloody bollocks. I'm going to go." She said to herself with a sigh.

The most challenging part of Hermione's life was making decisions. After that, it was simple. Follow through with your decision and make a plan. She wrote her letters, attached them to Barnaby, and started to pack.

Then she floo called Charlie.

"I'm in."

"Of course you're in. I already have everything prepared on my end. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at 10 sharp at The Burrow, since we've got more room." And with a wink, he was gone.

What exactly did he mean when he said he would pick her up? Why did they need more room? Now she was nervous. And what was with all the winking! She got in the floo: "Grimmauld Place"

She stepped out to see Harry and Malfoy reading on the couch.

"You're lucky you came when you did Granger, another hour and you would have seen us naked." He closed his book and gave her a smirk.

Harry swatted his fiancé on the arm, "don't antagonize her. What's going on Mione?"

"She's obviously come over to say goodbye for her trip." Malfoy drawled.

"You think you are so smart Malfoy!" Hermione retorted.

"Well are you?" He inquired.

"Of course I am!" She wedged in between them on the couch, "now Harry, I've made you a list. Please do not forget to water the flitterbloom plant that Neville gave me. I have killed the last three birthday presents he gave me and I do not intend to let it happen again. Now Barnaby, as you know, is a finicky owl." She began.

"Granger! We know! Barnaby cannot stomach the owl treats from the menagerie, he must have the homemade owl treats from the green bowl on the table. Every morning at 8:00, and every evening at 7:30. He does not like room temperature water. He must have exactly 5 ice cubes in his bowl before he will drink it. Must we go through this every single time you go anywhere?"

She turned to face Malfoy.

"Look Malfoy, you may have a solid memory but Harry will not remember unless I tell him every time. I reinforce it with a list because he tunes me out most of the time."

"HE IS MARRYING ME! You do not need to bother with this ridiculous song and dance anymore. Never again." He took the list and vanished it with his wand. Then he crossed his arms and looked away from her.

"Why Malfoy!" She softened, "you're going to make sure everything gets done for me? In the particular way it needs to be done?" She smiled at the surly blond.

"Yes. Of course. Now go." He waved her off. Harry grinned at the pair of them as if they had just became best friends.

"What would I do without either of you," Harry asked grinning wider.

"Maybe you'd learn to actually take care of yourself," Hermione replied pulling him into a hug.

"You'll be back for the wedding?" He whispered in her ear.

"Of course I will be. I'm best woman aren't

I?"

He kissed her cheek. She turned to Malfoy.

"I won't tolerate you slacking in your responsibilities to Harry just because of some daft dragon adventure." Malfoy scolded her.

She reluctantly air kissed his cheek, "I will handle the preparations. You don't need to worry. I'll be back in plenty of time."

"You'd better." He responded.

—

Hermione paced back and forth in the field behind The Burrow.

"How do you think we'll be traveling?" she nervously asked the Weasleys that had come out back to watch her leave. They had all conjured comfortable chairs and were sitting there watching her. George glanced at Bill with an evil grin.

"Oh I'm sure the standard way Mione." He told her. Bill summoned some popcorn from inside and handed some to George.

"The standard way?" She inquired.

"Of course," said George while Ron laughed.

Mrs. Weasley shushed them as she came to hug Hermione goodbye.

"I'm sure he'll be extra safe with you dear. He knows how much you mean to all of us."

"Extra safe with what now?" She started biting her nails.

"Don't you worry for a bit Hermione. When I rode the dragon at Christmas, he seemed perfectly tame. Charlie has him wrapped around his finger. Extremely docile." Mr. Weasley answered her.

"Dragon?" She choked out. Just then in the distance came a loud roar.

"Aw here comes Deathclaw now." George grinned again throwing up a handful of popcorn and catching each piece in his mouth. It was impressive.

"Deathclaw?" Good heavens no. Hermione panicked as the dragon landed safely 5 yards away. Charlie hopped off the dragon easily. Hermione looked from him to the dragon then back to him… and the dragon.

"No. No. Not going to happen."

Charlie laughed as he hugged his family.

"Now Hermione? Where is your sense of adventure. We have to ride a dragon where we are going. There's no other way." He came over and grasped her hand, giving it a squeeze without letting go.

Merlin what was that feeling? She asked herself as she looked the redhead up and down. Charlie looked good. Damnit. All those muscles. She was distracted by the anxiety in her chest and the warm feeling in her core as she surveyed her companion.

Her hands started to shake as she pulled away and stepped back. She needed to refocus on the task at hand and not her libido. She stared at the dragon while the buzz of conversation swirled around her.

"Hermione."

She turned to look back at Charlie and his outstretched hand. She couldn't explain what led her to take his hand.

"I put a saddle on him just for you doll." Charlie told her cheekily.

"I'm not sure I like that nickname any better than Mione." She teased him back.

—

Before she knew it they had landed. She didn't know how long they had been flying, because she was clinging on for dear life to Charlie. She would be surprised if he didn't have marks on his skin from how tightly she held him.

It was terrifying. She never wanted to do that again. And she was pretty sure that his dragon did not like her. Maybe it was the way the dragon kept dropping all of a sudden for no reason before picking back up the speed into the sky. If dragons could laugh, he certainly was at her expense.

"Am I alive?" She asked Charlie when he peeled her off his body.

"Of course. You can open your eyes now. Wasn't that exhilarating? Would have been better without you scratching me up though. Not even the good kind of scratches."

She turned bright red.

"I'll have you know I'm not the scratching type. I think your dragon hates me." She looked pointedly from him to the beast. The dragon blew fire into the air.

"Now Deathclaw. That's no way to treat a lady. Have some manners yeah?" He patted the dragon on his back.

"Why exactly is he called Deathclaw? Certainly you could have come up with something else to call him."

"He was named before I got him! Kept killing tourists. See his right leg? His claw is extra long. Smart thing used it to his advantage." He beamed like a proud papa.

"Lovely. Tell me did you spend a lot of time with Hagrid when you were at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, in fact I did. Why?"

"No reason" she murmured, "why did we stop here?"

"The next part of the journey is too difficult at night. We'll leave Deathclaw here and venture onto some cabins a mile up for the night. They're muggle cabins so we have to be careful about magic when we're there."

"Charlie, can you tell me more about what we're going to do?" She asked as they walked.

"Always the planner. Can't you ever just relax and let someone else take the reigns?" He looked at her pointedly.

"I can. Of course I can. I'd be happy to in fact.

I'd prefer it. To just go on willy nilly without a care in the world, trusting someone else to take care of all the necessary particulars. What a relief."

"It's killing you not to know, isn't it?"

"Yes! Look Charlie, I am a planner, I agonize over plans. I will make every plan efficient and successful. Please tell me what we're doing?"

"Not a chance! Who is the dragon expert here?"

She stamped her foot, rolled her eyes, and sighed.

"You are."

He laughed. "That's right! So relax, enjoy your dragon finding vacation. I simply desire your presence and conversation. I'll take care of the rest."

She paused. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you desire my presence and conversation?"

He turned back to give her a significant look.

"Because I like you. I enjoy being around you. You're the smartest, most ballsy, sexiest witch I know, and I think you're right for the job." With that he walked further up the path.

"Oh dear," thought Hermione. Did he like her? Maybe. Did she like him? Yes. Wait what? Yes. She liked him. She was totally into him. His sexy face, his strong body, his knowledge.

Merlin, she was into him. What if his comment had been hypothetical. Like, maybe if we lived in the same area and you weren't such a workaholic we could date type thing. Maybe if you had never dated my younger brother I would shag you type thing.

Yes. Surely that was the thing. No man had every really been able to handle her before. Best not set herself up for disappointment. She walked on after him.


	2. Buttering her muffin

So the cabin had one bed. One large bed. This was fine. Perfectly normal to share a bed with someone you were attracted to while keeping things platonic. There was no reason to be awkward about it. They were adults. Surely she could just lay near the edge or something. If they woke up snuggling, who cares?

"Is this going to be a problem? Hermione?"

"What the bed? Of course not. It's quite large. I had to share a bed loads of times with the boys while we were hunting horcruxes. Is it a problem for you?" She stammered nervously without eye contact.

"Of course not, I like to cuddle," He chuckled before continuing in a serious tone, "I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable though. You can always draw a boundary line with your wand to keep me on my side of the bed. I'm used to having free reign of the thing so I can't promise I won't move in my sleep. I wouldn't want to risk our friendship and I respect you." He smiled fondly at her.

Oh. Did that mean he just thought of her like a friend? She didn't know what to say. She was just staring at him. Like a crazy person with no social skills. She should say something. Anything would be better than just standing here with her uncomfortable grin on her face.

"Let's risk it, it's quite cold, and I would probably welcome your warmth."

Nope. She should have kept her mouth shut. That was a ridiculous thing to say. He probably thought of her like a little sister and here she was practically asking him to press up against her. She cleared her throat and stepped back.

"Alright." He replied with a curious expression.

"I'll grab the food and we can cook it outside on the fire. Would you conjure some chairs and grab the butterbeer?"

Before Hermione knew it the food was ready. He brought it over to serve her.

"What is this Charlie?"

"It's fried shiitakes. Do you not like it?"

"No. I do, it's delicious actually, but how did you know I was a vegetarian?"

"Well I didn't know for sure, but I picked up some clues from the family. Not eating the Christmas roast was a big one. Also Ron complaining about your love for animals and magical creatures. I just wanted to be on the safe side."

"That's so thoughtful. Usually I just eat sides. Where did you learn to cook? Molly? My cooking is dreadful."

They talked and talked about their various hobbies and then more in depth about their lives. Hermione was so taken back not only by the fact that Charlie orchestrated this whole adventure but he apparently had time to think about and plan a vegetarian menu on the off hand that she was a vegetarian.

It was so sweet. It was so sexy. He just took the initiative to plan the whole thing. This was not even his problem, but he was making it his problem. He dropped everything in his life to join her to find this dragon. She couldn't believe it. She had never been with a man that was strong enough to take the reigns from her on anything.

Oh dear, she could actually fall for this man. She looked up at him while he talked about his job and love for the dragons. He gave off such passion when he spoke of his career. He had such joy in his eyes. He had everything she wanted in a man.

She gulped down the rest of her butterbeer. She was leaving. She couldn't get attached to him. Even if he did like her, they had no future. She sighed.

"What's wrong?" He asked ever perceptively.

"Oh nothing. So tell me about the lady dragon tamers. Are there a lot of females at the sanctuary?"

"Is that you're way of asking if I'm seeing anyone?" He smirked at her.

"I'm simply curious about your life. It's so vastly different from mine."

"I'd venture to say that's not true." He looked into her eyes deeply, before he continued.

"We're both driven and passionate about our careers. We both like magical creatures and know they deserve to be treated with respect. We're both knowledgeable in our fields and care about new research and innovations. We both love our families and friends. And we both spend way too much time working that we're single."

She sighed again. "You too huh? I go on the occasional date, but mostly I just can't get excited about most men."

"Then you must be choosing the wrong men." He looked at her pointedly.

"Perhaps. Most of them are set ups to be honest. Apparently I'm too intimidating for men to ask out on their own."

"Little boys are intimidated by strong women, men are excited by them."

She was blushing, most likely profusely.

"Do you date strong women?" She asked nervously.

"Exclusively." He answered.

Hermione choked on her butterbeer. This was getting a little warm. She thought back to the large single bed in their cabin.

"Well it's getting late. I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay, I'll clean up the fire and be in in a little bit."

Hermione panicked as she awkwardly walked away. One bed. One bed. One bed.

She paced around the cabin. Okay. Now was the time to take a deep breath and think about her options. Flannel long johns… or yoga pants with a tank top.

The flannel, while extremely practical and warm, said, "please don't touch me, I do not like sex."

The yoga pants and tank top said, "look at the outline of my body. Don't you want to caress my shape."

It was a no brainer really, freeze for the sake of possible sex. It had been awhile. She wasn't a prude like people thought, but she didn't exactly seek it out all the time either.

Did she want to have sex with Charlie? Well according to the outline of his chest in his shirt, and the bulk of his thighs through his pants the answer was a resounding yes on all fronts.

Physically he was a sight. Her past dreams of lumberjacks were finally making sense and he was charming to boot.

She genuinely liked his personality, his intellect, his daring.

She rushed to put on her sleep attire and added a warming charm to the room.

She fell asleep before he returned. When she woke up in the middle of the night, the warming charm had expired and she was freezing her tiny witch arse off.

Charlie must have woken from her shivering.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm just freezing! I'll just renew the warming charm. Sorry to wake you." She whispered in the dark.

Before she could find her wand, she heard, "lumos."

He surveyed her in the low light of his wand.

"Is that what you're wearing for bed? I told you to pack warm clothes." He chuckled. She was annoyed but then he placed his wand on the table next to the bed and removed his jumper in one swift movement. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up into a sitting position.

"Here, you can wear this, I run hot anyway."

He certainly did, didn't he. He placed the jumper over her head slowly, caressing her hair as he pulled it through. Hermione pulled her arms into the jumper and snuggled into the warmth. They were close now, he warmed up her arms quickly before it turned into gentle stroking. Her heart beat quickly as she tried to think about what to do, or say.

"Did your mother make this jumper."

He paused. Then he removed his hands from her body and leaned back against the headboard.

Way to go Hermione. Bring up his mother while things were starting to get steamy. Oh you daft fool she thought to herself. He looked at her in the low light with a curious expression.

"Yes, my mum knitted it a few Christmases ago. It looks lovely on you."

"Thank you." She said softly before noticing his chest.

"Charlie!" She gasped. Across his chest and torso and arms were hundreds of thin tattoos. Golden spirals swirled over his ribs, silver lines dashed across his shoulder, rust colored waves near his navel, and turquoise claw markings disappeared towards his back. An almost floral design in Burgundy patterned his shoulder. There were hundreds of designs in a wide range of colors. They didn't seem to be regular tattoos and they intrigued her.

"Ah," he said with a knowing smile, "you've noticed my tattoos."

"What do they mean?" She asked, gently stroking one that looked like flames on his bicep.

"I'm not sure actually." He replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I started to get them a few months after I began my work at the dragon sanctuary. As far as I can tell, whenever I've made some sort of impact on a dragon, something else appears on my body. I have no control over what or where it appears. I barely notice the new ones anymore. They're only really noticeable at night, especially in candlelight, firelight, and wandlight, during the day they just look like tiny scars or imperfections."

"That's quite magical. Do the other dragon tamers get them?" She was still stroking the tattoos gently and tracing the designs with her fingertips.

"Yes. Although I think I'm the one that has the most. I work directly with the dragons daily you see. You don't get them every time you see or touch a dragon, that's why I think it's related to making some sort of impact on them. For instance, I almost always get one when I save a dragon. In fact, I'm kind of surprised you and the boys don't have one from rescuing the dragon from Gringott's. Or even from rescuing Norberta."

"Not that I've noticed," Hermione replied.

"Well there goes that theory." Charlie chuckled.

"Why have I never read anything about this in my studies?" She questioned.

"Because you study dragons so often?" he teased.

"Well, more often than some." She rolled her eyes at him.

"The only books on dragons were written hundreds of years ago. Fantastic Beasts only lists 10 breeds and there's at least 25 distinct breeds at our reservation alone. Nothing has been updated since they almost died out, and now with their numbers steady, no one has taken an interest in writing something new about them. Seems like a huge hole in magical literature, don't you think Hermione?" He looked at her knowingly after he finished.

She stopped tracing the designs on his bicep to look up into his eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She questioned a bit nervously.

"It means the obvious," he replied.

"What?"

He looked at her again.

"Stop looking at me like that! What did you mean the obvious?"

"You, Hermione. You should write an updated book about dragons."

She laughed at him.

"You are crazy. I can't write a book about dragons! I don't know anything about them!"

"More than some." He replied smiling again.

"I have a job and I live in London. I am not qualified. Why don't YOU write the updated book on dragons!"

"Because I am not a literary man, Hermione. I prefer to learn and work, hands on."

Was it her imagination or did he flex his extremely large bicep when he said this. She chewed on her lip.

"Well someone else can surely. I'm positive someone else will eventually write a new book."

"Maybe." He agreed. "Eventually."

"Well, it's very late. I'm sure you'd like to go back to sleep. Sorry again for waking you. Thanks for letting me borrow your jumper."

"Anytime doll. Anytime."

She swatted his arm at the nickname and rolled over to go back to sleep. Pulling the jumper tightly across her breasts, thinking so many things about her life, and this rugged man that lay beside her.

She tried not to think about the book. She tried not to think about the way that he rolled closer to her just inches away from touching her skin, and she tried not to think about the excitement that bubbled up inside her whenever these thoughts burst through.

—

She was pretending to sleep. The only noticeable difference was the quickness of her breath as she tried not to hyperventilate.

She was sprawled over the man like a bearskin rug near the hearth of a fire, and oh what a fire it was. He was right in that he ran hot. His body radiating out warmth like embers. She could feel his chest beneath her and the thrum of his heartbeat underneath her ear. The thrumming reminding her of a wild animal lying in wait for its next meal. Gods she wanted him to devour her! What was the equivalent to morning wood for a witch?

Hermione wasn't used to sleeping next to a man. The few lovers she had entertained in her limited relationship experience never stayed the night, and the few boyfriends she had were not the type to heat up her insides in quite the same manner.

Not the type that had her wrapped around them in the morning. Not the type that made her want to fuck before she was even properly awake. Perfunctory after date sex only was the usual standard she lived by and only in seasoned relationships. It never occurred to her to have a one night stand or even casual sex with a friend. That's what this would be, right?

Charlie was the perfect specimen of safe and savory and she was inches from his cock. A normal girl might make a move. She was a feminist after all and in her very lengthy fantasies, it was always her that initiated things. The type of power that came from telling a man how to please her usually got her off very quickly but somehow she was never so bold in real life. Her need to please taking precedence over her own desires.

It felt too risky to make a move. She still wasn't sure if he liked her that way, and she was most assured it wouldn't be a good idea anyway. She was leaving soon but she was also falling for him too. The combination of libido and emotional connection had her breathlessly considering it. She wanted to fuck him AND shop for fresh produce at the market together. Now she was horny and hungry for breakfast.

She sighed as he started to stir. She cautiously pulled back away from his body, frowning as she gave up his pectorals for good sense.

"Are you awake Hermione?" He asked her softly, rolling over to face her and pulling her back to his chest in an embrace. His beard tickled her forehead. He was still groggy as he pressed her body into his and suddenly she felt a very firm good morning from below. He tensed immediately, pulling back abruptly.

"I'm so sorry. That was inappropriate." He backed up further.

"It's fine. Really. Don't worry about it." She ached to grab him and show him just how fine that really was, but he stood up and went over to his travel bag to get dressed. Her heart was still beating rapidly as she remembered the hard press of his cock next to her thigh.

A missed opportunity again, was she even a Gryffindor at all? Hermione thought about how long it had been. Were there cobwebs down there? A desolate desert without a wellspring? A barren wasteland with no prospects or just a fucking deprived vagina? Yeah, that's all your fault, she thought to herself. All your fault.

She almost missed him excusing himself during her mental diatribe.

"I'll be back in 45 minutes or so, I'm going to go get Deathclaw ready and then settle our bill. There's a shower in the loo if you need it."

"Sounds good." She murmured as he embarrassingly left the cabin.

What did he have to be embarrassed about? His absolutely normal morning erection? It wasn't him thinking about mounting his bedmate! Or maybe he was? He WAS quite hard after all. Men usually were in the morning she knew, but… that hard? She couldn't help her traveling fingers as they skimmed her yoga pants.

She had time to satisfy herself… right? 45 minutes was a long time, enough time for her to get off a few times if she really focused. She was quite a focused witch after all. She noticed the warm sun beaming rays onto her from the window, and she was reminded of Charlie's warmth.

Ah, fuck it, she thought to herself locking the door and stripping quickly. She was horny. Absolutely deliciously in the mood, and since she chickened out making a move on Charlie, this was the next best thing.

She grabbed her wand, thinking about the mental image of Charlie's tattooed body. A little spell she had invented herself, "momento temporis." Out from her wand sprung a projection of Charlie from the night before, laying back against the headboard with no shirt. Hermione's fingers stroking his tattooed arms.

The spell could only project one moment at a time but worked exactly like a magical photograph.

She watched her fingers tracing the design on his bulging biceps. She thought about replacing her fingers with her tongue. She imagined herself licking his skin and tasting each color on his body. The taste of salt leftover on his skin from his sweaty exertions with the dragons. So manly. Her hands caressed her breasts slowly.

She had a routine for this sort of thing. The most efficient way to get herself off. It was three fold. First the tits, giving careful consideration to each nipple, next she would slowly tease herself by inching down her stomach, stroking her sides, before finally playing with her clit. It really didn't take her long at all if she had the right inspiration and boy was she inspired this morning.

She imagined herself pulling Charlie back in bed before he left, taking her hand on his cock and squeezing it. "I want this," she told him in her mind. "I want you to fuck me Charlie!"

She moaned and pinched her hardened nipples. Gods he was so sexy. She imagined what his cock might look like. He felt large this morning. She closed her eyes and saw it in her hand, thick, slightly pink, and dripping for her. She wanted him to place it at her center and thrust up into her in one swift motion. She wanted to feel his long thick cock stretching her. She would gasp and run her hands down his back onto his arse before pulling him into herself deeper, as deep as he could go.

Her breath picked up and so did her fingers. She rapidly moved them across her clit, dipping her fingers into her pussy for the wetness.

"Oh GODS!" She screamed. She loved to be loud when she was masturbating. The one time she had no inhibitions. She also loved the rush that came from pleasing anyone, including herself. It turned her on, she would talk to a therapist about it later, but for now she got hot just thinking about herself making herself cum.

She focused back on Charlie, she hadn't even kissed him yet, but she could imagine his strong jaw unclenching. She could picture his lips parting for her, her eyes were still squeezed tightly, letting her imagination guide her fantasy. She pulled his face towards her own, and finally kissed him as his cock hit her g-spot. Fantasy Charlie was quite a good lay and knew just the right angle. He rolled his hips with a quick snap, making her gasp again.

She felt her orgasm building. She used one hand to squeeze her breast, as her dominant hand furiously rubbed herself. She thought back fondly to her vibrator at home but this would still work. It felt so good. He felt so good.

"FUCK YES CHARLIE!" She screamed out the rest of her fantasy as her orgasm hit her.

She sighed contentedly, slowly opening her eyes. Oh right, she forgot about her spell. She grabbed her wand on the table next to the bed, turning towards the window, and OH DEAR MERLIN!

Charlie was on the other side of the window, with his mouth dropped open, and a completely flabbergasted expression on his face. This wasn't fantasy Charlie that just got done boning her, this was real life Charlie. The Charlie that was brothers with one of her best friends. The Charlie that was helping her. Not her boyfriend. Her acquaintance Charlie.

She screamed! Pulling the blankets back over her face in embarrassment. Merlin, bollocks, fuck it all! What was she thinking? And excuse me! 45 minutes? That was not 45 minutes. That was more like 10 or maybe 15. Surely not more than 20. Really this was his own damn fault for sneaking up on her before the allotted time. Yes Hermione, let's place blame on other people for this scenario. He was clearly a pervert.

She sighed. No, this was not Charlie's fault. Even if he was a bit of a voyeur. On the one hand, she should have known to close the shades on the window. She had to subconsciously wonder if she would get caught. This was all on her. Damn those naughty "getting caught" fantasies. Did her subconscious sabotage her?

Dear Gods how long had he been there? What all did he see? Clearly he saw her "buttering her muffin" so to speak. Damnit Hermione just call it MASTURBATION.

She was masturbating like a normal red blooded female. There was no need to be ashamed or embarrassed about self servicing. She thought back to all the different euphemisms for female masturbation. Her favorite being, "ménage a moi," but that was beside the point. She was way off track here underneath this blanket. Stalling. Stalling from facing the consequences of her very delightful morning.

She inched the blanket down her face, holding her breath before revealing her eyes. She looked at the window. No Charlie.

It seems her fanny scared him off. Or maybe it was the fact that she was masturbating to a projection of himself. That wasn't creepy at all. Way to go Hermione. Oh dear Gods! Where was Ginny when she needed her.

But wait, that was his sister. FUCK! She had nobody to talk to about this. What should she do? Luna would spout nonsense, Pansy was barely her friend and would probably make fun of her, and Harry well. Harry was always an option but he would probably tell Draco, and then she could never live that down. Bollocks, it looks like she had three choices:

1\. Ignore the entire incident (really mature).

2\. Die of embarrassment and portkey home (not a Gryffindor move or exactly practical).

3\. Confront the issue straight on, with her head held high. (Buggering wanker cock fuck)

She sighed, finally sitting up in the bed. She accio'd her clothes before going to the bathroom. Hair an absolute disaster, check. Flushed cheeks from her lingering desire, check. Shameful eyes? She looked back into the mirror and gave her expression a confident smile. She looked crazy.

Here goes nothing! She grabbed his jumper to bring to him. At least she hadn't been smelling his jumper when he caught her. That is probably the only thing that could have made it worse. Way to look on the bright side.


	3. The Ukrainian Ironbelly's Lair

She walked outside to look for Charlie. He was no where to be found. Great, she thought, she really bollocksed it up this time. She sat in the chair by the front door when she noticed a basket of food. It appeared to be breakfast. Her heart softened at the thought of Charlie bringing her breakfast in bed. She cringed thinking about what actually happened.

She opened the basket to find fruit, bread, jam, and honey. Amongst the breakfast items was a note, she opened it and read:

_In case you worked up an appetite. Enjoy, I'll be back soon. -Charlie _

Oh dear! He was teasing her. That cheeky man! Maybe this wouldn't be so terrible after all. She couldn't help but grin, she was embarrassed sure, but also touched.

Why couldn't he live in London? Why did he have to be a dragon tamer in Romania? The more she spent time with him, the more she thought they would be a match: compatible, passionate, happy… too good to be true obviously.

Charlie walked up with an uneasy smile on his face, his cheeks were bright red and clashed with his hair. He was playing with his beard nervously.

"Good morning!" He spoke with a teasing voice.

"Listen Charlie..." She began, twirling her fingers together self consciously.

"We don't have to talk about it Hermione." He was staring past her, unwilling to lock eyes.

"No, Charlie, I can tell if we don't, things will be uncomfortable."

"It's really fine! Would you like to hear about MY masturbation fantasies?" With this he seemed to force himself to make eye contact with her, the flush on his cheeks and neck very apparent.

She laughed and felt a nervous flutter in her stomach at the thought. She actually DID want to hear about them and now she wondered if he had ever thought about her.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

He sighed, and sat in a chair next to her. He hesitated before speaking again.

"Hermione, actually there is something I want to talk to you about." He looked at her again, the redness fading from his cheeks, and a resignation growing in his eyes.

He continued, "you're sending me mixed messages."

He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to respond.

She bit her bottom lip, "I'm sorry, I'm just a bit confused, and I'm leaving soon so…" she didn't finish.

"You could be leaving."

"I could be leaving?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"You could stay. You could stay, and leave that job you hate, and write the book that the wizarding community needs, and still make a difference with magical creatures, and be happy with… me."

"Charlie…I don't hate my job" but her heart wasn't in it when she tried to make them both believe that. "We barely know each other. It would be a disaster."

"Just think about it." He stood up, and held out his hand, "come on, we need to get going if we're going to do this today. It's a bit dangerous so we need the light, and it's best if they've already eaten their breakfast."

"Who exactly? What danger?" She was alarmed as he grabbed her hand.

"Well… the first place we need to rule out for your mother dragon: The Ukrainian Ironbelly's Lair."

"The what?" She asked nervously.

"Their lair. Their savage, hostile, lair. Your dragon baby back at Gringotts is part Ironbelly. So either it's mum is one, or its dad. This lair is the largest in Europe. I think she might've returned here, if they were her kind."

"And just how many dragons are in this savage, hostile environment?" She scoffed.

"Most likely hundreds…"

"Hundreds? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No."

"Why on earth hasn't anyone done anything about this horrible place? What if muggles happened upon them? It would be a massacre!"

"Well we did put anti muggle repelling charms on the area. They're in the second largest mountain range in Europe! Really the only fear is if a wizard or witch stumbled upon them or they decide to migrate."

"Migrate? Dragons migrate? That wasn't listed in ANY of my literature." She fumed. She hated when she lacked knowledge.

"I know… well, we're sure they migrate, but we're not sure when they migrate. Could be once in their lives. Could be every 5 years. Could be every time an alpha takes over. Could be anything really. No one has been willing to study them in their habitat. Especially one this size. There are smaller groups that branch off of course, and a couple of rogues that end up near our sanctuary injured. Horribly injured in fact."

"Charlie, do you think it's prudent for us to go wandering into this terrible place, looking for her? What if something happens?"

"Well that's why we're going after breakfast, and why we're taking Deathclaw. You'll be riding on him of course, while I search the grounds."

"This is a suicide mission! I changed my mind. I think perhaps the dragon baby is perfectly content back at Gringotts. I am just a crazy witch trying to take him from his home. Let's go." She started to walk away but Charlie grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"I know this breed, I've worked with them throughout my entire career. Do you trust me?"

She wanted to say no. She wanted to say, goodbye and run from him until she was back in her home, but instead she said, "yes."

"I trust you." She reiterated and held his hand as they walked toward Charlie's dragon.

—

Riding on the dragon the second time was both better and worse.

Better because Deathclaw was not flying like a vindictive cunt swooping them around in circles. Worse because of what lay ahead. She imagined herself going up in flames.

She trusted Charlie sure, but really, his level of danger and adrenaline were vastly different than hers. What if they got in a situation where he wasn't able to protect her, or what if Deathclaw was attacked?

She felt like hippogriffs were dancing in her stomach as she held onto Charlie while they rode the beast.

Deathclaw swooped lower and slowed down swiftly. She felt Charlie squeeze her hand.

The mountains appeared through the fog.

It would have been quite beautiful if she weren't so terrified. An eerie calm over took her as they entered the topographic saddle between the two mountains.

She could hear the roars ahead of her as Charlie dismounted.

"Charlie! What are you doing?" She screeched.

"I'm going to look on the ground, you look from the sky." He handed her a photo.

"You're looking for this marking on her shoulder by the neck. Gringotts brands all the dragons this way." He tightened his dragon hide jacket around himself and tossed her one from the saddlebag around Deathclaw's flank.

"Wear this, it will protect you from the dragon's flame."

"Charlie wait!" He strode back over to her. She aimed her wand at him.

"Protego corpus" she murmured waving her wand in the correct motions.

"That should protect you for a bit," she smiled. He reached up and pulled her hair behind her. He secured it with a leather tie.

"Wouldn't want you to lose your gorgeous hair." He murmured into her ear. His breath left a tingle on her neck. She gulped.

Then he was walking quickly towards the roars and she was lifted again, up into the air. They hovered about 50 feet into the sky and she watched below as Charlie walked up to the dragons.

The first group of dragons were nestled in a rock bed near a cave. She scanned their metallic grey scales for the marking. She noticed Charlie pull out his wand and murmur something at each dragon's belly. One by one they lay on their sides lazily

Was he petting them? She noticed one swish it's tail like a dog. Fucking hell he had balls, she thought.

The next dragon was not quite so docile.

"Charlie look out!" Hermione screamed from the sky, as the dragon advanced on the man.

He ducked the burst of flames and rolled over the ground, behind a rock. He looked up into the sky and gave Hermione a thumbs up. What in the world was wrong with him! He almost got his head blown off by a dragon and he was smiling like it was no big thing.

Her nerves were upon her fiercely as she watched the dragon creep up to the rock Charlie was hiding behind. He pulled something out of his jacket pocket and tossed it as far as he could. It must have been some sort of dragon treat, because the dragon immediately paused his advance to chase after the treat contentedly.

Before Hermione knew it, 5 more dragons were fighting over the delicacy. She urged Deathclaw to drop lower so she could see their hides. No tattoos. She flew past their grouping in her search.

Charlie crept past as well, hiding behind large boulders, on his way. The space grew darker and more uneasy as they advanced the lair.

"Lumos" She cast, so that she could see in the foggy light. Two more dragons just surveyed her in a bored manor, not willing to take on the beast she rode. Deathclaw was not as ferocious as the Ironbellys but his brutal claw was an even match for their vicious talons. They would not strike without cause she realized.

Gaining confidence she encouraged her transport to fly faster. Swooping around caves and jagged ravines. She scanned each dragon's shoulder quickly before moving on. She had viewed over 20 dragons when it happened.

She was deep in a ravine when she noticed him. It occurred to her that it must be the alpha, the way he stood proudly on the peak of the mountain. His wings were outstretched and his broad span was intimidating. She gulped as he advanced menacingly. Deathclaw roared and spouted fire into the air as the alpha neared. Swooping above them he blew fire straight at Hermione.

She screamed as Deathclaw swerved. He barreled behind a boulder as the alpha advanced again. This time he jumped along the edge of the mountain and kicked out shards of rock with his claws. Hermione was ducking each avalanche as best she could, but rocks hit her anyway. The jacket protected her arms and torso, but her legs weren't that lucky. One long splinter of rock stuck out from her right thigh.

She gasped as a rock bigger than her head flew towards her, she panicked and jumped off of Deathclaw, using a cushioning charm, she landed abruptly against the ravine. She climbed to a more even ledge, casting protegos all around her in a circle.

Deathclaw was engaged with the alpha now. They clashed, and slashed, and roared towers of fire toward each other.

Hermione scanned her perimeter for Charlie. He was no where to be found. She desperately hoped he was okay. Blood pooled from her leg as she thought about removing the rock fragment. She decided to leave it for now. Then she heard Deathclaw make a terrible sound. He was slammed hard against the cliff across from her.

He lay unmoving near the foot of the cliff.

Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!

Hermione panicked as the alpha focused his deep red eyes on her. She looked around her for protection, a shield, a weapon, anything! Unfortunately she was left empty handed. The dragon was closer now, and she could see in his eyes he was about to roar fire onto her. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt her body slam into the ground. A hard body pressed against hers and she heard spells echoing around her.

She didn't dare open her eyes as her heart raced. Charlie. Charlie had saved her. She was sure of it. She felt herself lift into the air. Then she was placed on something hard again. She felt his arms wrapped around her.

"Hermione! Open your eyes! It's okay. You're safe. You're safe. I've got you."

She blinked open her eyes. She was atop Deathclaw and Deathclaw was flying away from the peaks. They were safe. He saved her. She turned her head back to look into his eyes. He saved her. Then she promptly passed out.

—

She started to stir under the cool washcloth. That felt nice. She murmured happy noises and imagined herself being bathed by a river. She opened her eyes abruptly as everything came rushing back.

"CHARLIE!" She screamed.

"Shh! It's okay. You're okay." He was softly stroking her forehead with the cloth.

"What happened? Are you okay? How did we get out of there? Is Deathclaw okay?"

He chuckled at her concern for the dragon.

"He's fine. Just a small lump on his head, you fared the worst, and it was only some minor blood loss. All together a successful mission."

"A SUCCESSFUL MISSION! We could have been killed! Are you fucking insane. Why am I here? We accomplished nothing and…"

He cut her off before she could ramble too much.

"Yes, very successful. Your dragon mother isn't there. We eliminated a very promising location for her. That means we're closer. I gave you a blood replenishing potion by the way. You'll be good as new tomorrow!" He stroked her cheek fondly.

She tried to sit up in the bed and felt her head rush.

"Whoa there. Take it easy. You lost a lot of blood." He helped her rest against the headboard.

"Are we back in the cabin?," she asked noticing her surroundings.

"Yes. We were supposed to travel to our next destination today, but under the circumstances, I thought it best if we delayed the next part by a day." He stroked her cheek again.

She looked into his eyes. They were so blue, they were so open and honest. She knew her eyes never looked that way. She wondered if he saw her fear, her crippling anxiety, her paralyzing self doubt. She wondered if he could see anything at all the way she closed herself off from everyone emotionally. She sighed.

"Thank you for saving me. I guess I should thank Deathclaw too come to think of it," she laughed.

"You have no idea what I felt, when I saw you on the cliff like that. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"What exactly did you think might happen when you took me there!" She teased swatting his shoulder lightheartedly.

"I never thought the alpha would consider Deathclaw a threat. Usually when they sense a strong male they survey them, and stay back unless the dragon directly attempts to take over the clan. He must have thought Deathclaw was strong enough to usurp him, otherwise he never would have attacked. I'm so sorry! I never would have put you in that kind of danger had I known."

He leaned down to place a chaste kiss against her forehead. As he was pulling back, she stopped him, grabbing his neck.

Her heart beat rapidly as she pulled him closer to her lips. Was she doing this? Was this a terrible idea? He leaned closer. She could feel his warm breath against her lips.

A loud rapping shook them out of their moment. Charlie pulled back as he and Hermione located the source of the noise.

"Is that an owl?"

"Looks like it's Draco's owl." Hermione surveyed the Eagle owl before they both noticed the red envelope it carried.

"He sent me a howler?" She questioned as Charlie let the poor bird in.

"He sent you a howler." Charlie echoed as the envelope shook angrily and opened:

"_Things are not going well Granger! Your owl is insane. Your best friend is completely hopeless. And your other best friend is making my life a living hell!" Draco's voice shouted into the cabin before continuing:_

_"__My wedding planner quit for Merlin knows what reason! So I am left to do all the planning. When RONALD FUCKING WEASLEY offered up his mother as a solution to the problem. My idiot fiancé thought that was a brilliant idea, and now I have to deal with MOLLY FUCKING WEASLEY every day. I put her in charge of one measly thing, and she completely took over not to mention ruining the ONE thing I left her in charge of. Is cream the same color as off white? Is it? Is it Granger? Because I don't think so! I think they are very different colors!" The shouting paused again. _

_"__Harry offered to take care of your daft owl before I completely lost my mind and do you know what happened? YOUR FUCKING OWL did not like the fact that Harry is hopeless and put only 4 ice cubes in his water bowl. So Barnaby attacked him. He dive bombed his treat bowl destroying all of them. And do you know who had to go deal with this mess at 12:00 at night? Do you? Do you know who had to make homemade Goddamn owl treats until 2:00 in the fucking morning? DO YOU GRANGER? DO YOU FUCKING KNOW WHAT YOUR ABSENCE IS DOING TO ME? Come home. Come home now. I await your owl immediately. Sincerely, Draco Malfoy." _

It exploded.

"Well, it sounds like the wedding planning is going well." Charlie mused as Hermione rubbed her temples.

"He's a real piece of work." Hermione grumbled.

"Yes, well to be fair, my mother can be a little overbearing, and Harry well…"

"He's hopeless with details. Yes. I know. Ugh. Will you get me some parchment from my bag. I better write back immediately or he'll send another howler."

_Malfoy,_

_Calm your tits. I will talk to Molly. Send me a list of what you need and I'll take care of it. We have not completed our mission yet. _

_See you soon,_

_Hermione _

"That should appease him for a few days. But I expect that's not the last howler I'll receive while I'm gone."

She quickly penned a letter to Ron and to Molly. There. She sent the owl away carrying three letters.

She looked over at Charlie. The moment was lost now, she sighed.

"I think I'd better get some rest," she told him.

He pulled her to his chest stroking her hair in a comforting pattern.

Hermione reluctantly gave into her exhaustion breathing in his skin as she rested.


	4. The sun

The next morning Hermione was once again tangled up in Charlie. Her head rested on his bare chest and one of her legs was on top of his. One of her arms reached around his torso and she was spooning him from the side like he was a delicious dessert.

She was still groggy but she made no move to pull away. She wanted this. She wanted to let herself be held by a man, pressed up against him, and absorbed completely by him.

She felt one of his hands go to her hair, caressing it back away from her face. She felt the thrum of his heart pick up as he tilted her chin up to look at him. They locked eyes. The warmth pooled in his gaze. He waited.

She inched her face towards his, sucking in a breath as she softly pressed her lips onto his. They were barely touching, their mouths ghosting one another as they tested each other, slowly increasing pressure until he pulled her on top of him and deepened the kiss.

She was tired of denying how she felt about him. She was tired of pretending she didn't want him. She was tired of ignoring the blinding lust that built up between them every time they spoke.

This was what she wanted, and all her walls came crashing down around them. He pressed into her through their clothes. Neither one spoke as they thrust against one another.

She was still wearing her jeans from the day before and each time he moved against her, the fabric rubbed against her clit. She rocked into him roughly.

His hands were tangled into her hair pulling it back to kiss against her neck before pulling it down to kiss her mouth again.

She was so turned on. She moved up onto her knees to gain leverage when she felt her injury from the day before.

"Ow."

He stopped immediately.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"No, it's fine, it's just my leg."

He flipped her onto her back and assessed the damage.

"It looks like it's healing properly. I think you just need some more pain relief. Also you should probably change out of those jeans into more comfortable pants."

He looked back toward her face.

"Um… would you mind helping me?" She nervously asked him, silently patting herself on the back for being so forward.

He smiled at her.

"Of course Hermione."

His fingers left her hair and traveled carefully down her body. He purposely ignored her breasts and instead went from collarbone, to sternum, to hip with his lovely hands.

He gently stroked her stomach above her jeans. Then removed the button delicately. She gasped in another breath as he undid the zipper. Her body unwillingly rising up off the bed in a shallow thrust before landing against the bed once more.

She bit her lip as he continued. Her legs were unable to support herself for long due to her injury so he wrapped one arm around her back to lift her up to remove her pants. They slid over her arse and he gently set her back down on the bed. His face was level with her knickers now. She saw him pause and stare at the blush colored lace that covered her, before he locked eyes with her and smiled.

He finished removing her jeans and much to her disappointment helped her up into a sitting position.

She sighed as his warm hands left her to get pain potion and comfortable pants from her bag.

He returned carrying the potion along with a bottle of magical lotion.

"This should help with the bruising, may I?"

Hell freaking yes you may, she thought. But in a proper civilized way she replied, "yes, thank you." Before drinking the potion for some relief.

He kneeled before her next to the bed in between her legs. He was grinning again and she couldn't help but turn red at the compromising position they found themselves in.

He slowly massaged the lotion onto her injury. His hand lingered slowly above the injury. Just a few more inches and she would have him exactly where she wanted him. She angled her hips towards his face. He chuckled.

"Let me see if there's any other bruises. Do you mind taking off your shirt." He asked this so innocently, as if he wasn't trying to get her naked.

She smiled before inching the fabric up her stomach. She pulled the shirt over her wild hair, her chest heaving in anticipation, the nervous energy, palpable.

He took each arm firmly, checking for bruises and stroking her skin softly. The anticipation was killing her.

Then he eyed her chest appreciatively before moving her hair to one side of her neck to check her back.

"Turn around," he whispered.

His fingers followed her spine delicately before coming to a stop on her lower back. He gently rubbed underneath the top of her knickers, before he stopped.

"Hermione?" He questioned. "Have you always had these freckles?"

"What?" Way to break the moment Charlie.

"Lay on your stomach, I want to check something."

This was odd. She was unsure of where he was going with this but she complied none the less.

He pulled her knickers down an inch.

"Hand me my wand." He told her.

"What? Charlie. I'm not sure exactly what you're doing but let's just leave your wand over there for now. I'm not exactly that kind of witch. Although I'm unsure of what you're attempting here in general…" she was rambling again.

He laughed hysterically at her for a few moments in her confusion.

"Why are you laughing?" She was mortified!

"Hermione, this isn't sexual. I think this marking on your arse is a dragon tattoo. Have you always had it? May I have my wand now?"

"Oh. Well this is awkward… I don't particularly notice my arse very often. And um… no one has ever mentioned anything."

Charlie laughed again as he cast a lumos. She was so embarrassed, this was feeling very clinical and not in a good way. She felt like she was getting her annual yearly check up.

"Yep! I was right! You have a tattoo! I wonder which dragon it was from."

"What does it look like?" He helped her up into the bathroom so she could see in the mirror. He cast a lumos for her.

"Amazing!" She exclaimed looking at the grouping of pale dots. They looked like white freckles but the pattern wasn't random. It looked like a small sun and it glowed underneath the wand light.

"I'm a little disappointed for you that no man has been familiar enough with your arse to ask you about this."

"Charlie!" She smacked his shoulder and went back to the other room to grab her pants. Moment ruined again. Perhaps forever.

He followed her, "I'm just saying! If it were me, and I were lucky enough to be with you, I would know every marking on your body intimately." He grinned at her red face.

"You know this would be a good opportunity for a case study."

"What?"

"Well Ron and Harry were both with you when you saved Norbert and the Gringotts' dragon right?"

"Yes?"

"So floo them and see if they have arse tattoos."

"CHARLIE!"

"Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Well… yes. I admit. I am curious, but you call Ron, I'm not dealing with Padma's wrath if she hears his ex girlfriend inquiring about his arse."

Charlie raised his brow in an amused manor, "suit yourself."

He pulled out floo powder from his knapsack and stuck his head in the fireplace.

"Ron Weasley residence." He called.

"Charlie?" Hermione heard Ron answer.

"Ron! Hello! I need to take a look at your arse!"

"Barely a greeting and this is what I get. Why are you flooing me? How are things with Mione? She told me off just this morning in a letter."

"Tickity-boo mate. Right as rain. I need to check your arse, drop your pants, there's a good lad."

"Blimey Charlie." This was the most ridiculous conversation Hermione had ever heard. He must have dropped his pants because Charlie was laughing.

"What are you laughing at Charlie, bugger off!"

"Did you ever notice this tattoo on your arse?"

"Oh, a bit. Got it when I was knackered yeah."

"No you didn't. It's a dragon tattoo. Just wanted to confirm. Thanks! Talk to you soon!"

Charlie popped back through the floo.

"What exactly was that?"

"What do you mean?"

"That conversation or lack there of…"

"Have you ever tried to have a conversation with my brother?"

"Good point… well that settles that."

"No it doesn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Your turn! Harry. We have to have a proper case study after all."

She huffed in annoyance before taking the floo powder.

"Grimmauld Place" she spoke into the ash.

Who should she see but Draco ever loving Malfoy sitting on the couch, with a glass of fire whiskey.

"Malfoy."

"Granger." He looked seriously irritated with her.

"I need to speak to Harry."

He placed his glass on the coffee table and folded his arms across his chest. Then he glared at her.

"I take it you got my letter…"

He fumed silently in her face.

"Look, I sent a letter to Molly and Ron. Things should be better. Now let me talk to Harry."

"What do you wish to speak to him about?"

Why was this man so difficult? More over, why on EARTH did Harry fall for him? She rolled her eyes.

"I need to look at his arse!" She yelled at the irritated man.

"These little games you play, mean nothing to me Granger."

"Malfoy! Seriously! I just need to check something. Please go get him."

"He's out today. Scheming with The Weasel I expect. He just left in fact."

"You promised Harry you'd stop calling him that!" She was so annoyed, "why aren't you with them?"

"Oh. That. Harry slipped me a calming draught after the incident."

"What incident?"

"I set all of Ron's Chudley Cannon jerseys on fire."

"Why did you do that?"

"Well this was before your supposed letter to the Weasel. I barely tolerate Ronald and somehow he's taken it upon himself to plan my stag night. What sort of uncouth frivolity do you think will happen there?"

She cringed… that was bad.

"Well, did my letter fix anything?"

"I don't know, I've been roofied."

"You haven't been roofied! You've been slipped a calming draught. There is a very big difference. Don't you feel calmer?"

"Vaguely. Now what do you want with his arse."

"I need to see if he has a tattoo."

"Ahh yes. The sun. The sun literally shining out of my boyfriend's arse."

"Malfoy!"

"I know every inch of his arse like the back of my hand. I could draw the tattoo for you if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary! Thank you for your time."

"Granger."

"What?

"Why aren't you coming home? The wedding is this week."

"I'll be there Malfoy, I promise."

"Have you shagged him yet?"

"Malfoy! Shut up, he will hear you. And no I haven't."

"Pity. Looks like I lose the bet."

"THE BET?"

"Yes, well, I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I'll retire to my boudoir."

"Malfoy, you are not French! You know how much it irritates me when you pretend that you are!"

"Yes well YOU are not German, but you still feel the need to throw out that language whenever you're upset. I'll owl you later this week when I've forgiven you. It will all depend on my meeting with Mrs. Weasley, later this afternoon." He looked at his nails nonchalantly.

She growled to herself.

"Goodbye!"

She pulled herself out of the floo.

—

The next day allowed Hermione to heal, and if she took notes about the tattoo, that was just because of boredom. It didn't mean she was writing a book, she was just jotting down her thoughts.

She didn't even entertain the idea of leaving her terrible job. Yes, okay, she wanted to help magical creatures and dragons were a huge part of that. Misunderstood. Taken advantage of. Almost extinct before growing in population to normalized levels. Merlin she loved a Cinderella story. Simply fascinating.

She was also thinking about Charlie. She sighed again. Now that she had had a taste of him, things were worse. Or rather, "feelings" were worse. She wanted him badly. She was a dumb cunt for holding back from him. Self sabotage and what not. Why make love passionately to a dragon tamer when you could be celibate and horny forever.

It would probably be terrible anyway. Most of her couplings were. Unless she took matters in her own hands that is. She wanted to believe Charlie was a man that knew where a clit was, but her previous history with the opposite sex, suggested otherwise. She had no problem showing a man how to please her, but the ego on some of her past lovers… well needless to say, she had a vibrator for a reason.

"Is that good for you?" echoed in her brain.

No it fucking wasn't. No it fucking wasn't.

She looked up from her notes to see Charlie deep in thought. She smiled at him and felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach when he smiled back.

"What is next on our agenda?" She asked.

"You're not going to like it, but it's necessary." He replied solemnly. His grin disappeared into a frown, and a deep crease appeared on his forehead.

"What won't I like?" She asked.

"The fighting rings." He responded.

"What?"

"The dragon fights. Gambling. Injuries. Money, Hermione. So much money being exchanged. I wasn't even sure we were going to be able to find the ring, but I lucked out. We lucked out. We go tomorrow night. I have polyjuice and some clothes for you."

"Why do I need to do all that? Can't I just obscure my face?"

"They don't allow magic in the spectator ring."

"How did you find out about this?"

"I've been working with Lucius actually."

Hermione glared at her companion. Nothing infuriated her more than the mention of that man. The amount of fights she'd had with Draco were insurmountable. The engagement party was uncomfortable. Now her crush was engaging in this type of behavior. How absurd.

"I know you don't like him but we need to get into the ring. They specialize in older dragons that have escaped captivity. If a dragon has been conditioned to remain locked away, it is easier for them to control, and if the mother dragon was captured, she'll be there."

"This is terrible. Can we at least call the Aurors to arrest them?"

"No. They have a spy in the Auror office. We tell them, and we never get the chance to check for your dragon."

"This is awful Charlie. I don't think I can go and control myself. How are they keeping everyone from doing magic?"

"The seats. You don't need to worry about it, if I see an opportunity, I've got a plan." He smiled at her again.

She felt relief, "What plan?"

"It's best if it's a surprise." He grinned mischievously.

"Okay," she said nervously, "I'll take the polyjuice."

—

The polyjuice potion turned out to be from an extremely busty blonde woman with hazel eyes. She had a feeling no one would be looking at her eyes though. Good Lord, she could barely look away from her chest herself. She surveyed her bosom in the mirror. Well… if she had ever wondered about breast augmentation spells, this answered all of those questions for her. She grabbed her tits with both of her hands and gave them a good squeeze. She bounced. Her breasts bounced with her. Delightful, she thought.

They were way too big for her normal frame, but the curves on this witch supported the ample cleavage, and hell if she had great tits tonight, she was going to flaunt them. She altered her dress from a sensible black frock into a corset style that offered a hefty view of her chest.

First she jumped up and down again to make sure her nipples wouldn't be exposed and then she lowered the dress line just a touch and added a sticking charm instead because she was a witch damn it and if she wanted to flaunt her lush knockers, she would. Next she braided her long, straight blonde hair into a French braid down her back. She tucked her wand in between her cleavage. She just had a feeling she was going to need easy access to it tonight. She surveyed her face in the mirror.

She thought the blonde was pretty enough and for sure had an amazing body but she missed her freckles and soft brown eyes. She missed her full lips and rose colored cheeks. Is this the type of girl Charlie preferred? He did choose the polyjuice after all. Is that why their semi-attraction, friends with benefits scenario was doomed to fail? Because he preferred more than a few handfuls of tits and arse.

She was desirable right? True, men always seemed just a touch shocked when she styled her hair and wore something that accentuated her figure, but they still went out with her. They still fumbled around in the dark trying to give her an orgasm. She could be sexy… right? Merlin, she was going to give herself unnecessary anxiety. Just because she had a crush on a man, didn't mean she had to conform to antiquated ideals of femininity.

She ignored the panicked thoughts of, "you're going to die alone Hermione! Maybe if you wore some lipstick someone would date you! Learn how to cook so you can land a husband! Play the damsel in distress! Wizards fucking love damsels in distress!"

Oh how those thoughts plagued her on a Friday night. Bollocks. Time to face Charlie. Maybe she could gauge his reaction to her to see if this was his type. She wondered what he looked like.

She stepped back out into the bedroom.

"Oh!" Oh my she thought. Charlie was standing there in a very colorful kilt. The kilt hit just above his knees. The legs on this wizard were muscular and taut much like his own but they were too smooth and only dusted with blond hair. She gazed back up. He was blond too. He had no facial hair (which almost made her cry, it was so wrong on him) and the icy blond hair was too long. Was this Lucius' long lost Scottish cousin? He had no freckles which she now realized usually made him adorable and worst of all, his tattoos were gone! Woe is me! She thought. He looked terrible. Objectively a great body, but mostly just no! She missed his broad stocky chest. She missed his rugged red beard. She missed his blue eyes the color of glacier water.

"You look…" she started, when she noticed a very troubled frown on his borrowed face.

They looked into each other's wrong eyes for a few minutes before he finally spoke.

"I don't like it."

"But I thought you picked out the polyjuice."

"No. Lucius supplied everything. Don't take this the wrong way… but I like you much better the other way. I like you when you're you. You have the same expressions but it's all wrong. Your worry doesn't belong on this face. Your depth doesn't belong in those eyes, and well… I like your body the other way too." He nervously stepped back and looked away from her.

"Oh thank Merlin!" She exclaimed running up to wrap her arms around him.

"You thought I picked out the polyjuice?" He asked her.

"Yes, I was worried this was your type."

"Well, she is more Ron's type I'd imagine. I prefer, petite and slim but still athletic. And I prefer brunettes, with wild curly hair." He smiled at her now.

"Well, if I see anyone like that, I'll be sure to send her your way." She teased.

He leaned in to brush a kiss against her lips.

They pulled back together and mirrored each other with unsatisfied looks on their faces.

"Her lips are too plush." He said

"His face is too smooth." She replied.

Then they laughed and he pulled her close to him to grab the portkey.

"Hermione, whatever happens, please trust me. Stay by my side and trust me, okay? I know this will be difficult to watch."

"I trust you."

Then with a pull in her navel, they were brought into the abyss.


	5. The fighting ring

She couldn't tell where they landed. All she knew was the sticking charm was working hard on her dress. She brushed off the dirt and turned to survey her surroundings. They were near a dark arena that looked like someone slapped the thing together a few minutes ago. There were no walls, only wooden benches scattered in a rough circle glowing blue from the anti magic spells.

There was an extremely long table with empty chairs supporting the bets and in the sky above the table, the odds flashed next to different dragon names:

Armorwing -20 to 2

Bonescraper- 100 to 5

Deadheart- 50 to 3

Snowfall- 0 to 50

Typhoon- 5 to 20

And on and on and on. She couldn't make sense of the betting and she couldn't believe there were this many on the roster. 15 different dragons? That seemed ludicrous! How were they even controlling that many dragons? Why didn't the dragons retaliate and take back their freedom?

"Charlie, look." She pointed at the betting board.

"How are there so many? There's so goddamn many."

He looked back at her sadly.

"What?" She asked.

"I don't want to tell you." He answered as he tried to get closer to the betting table before she pulled him back.

"What!?"

He sighed, "some of the dragons are babies."

"WHAT?! Are you fucking kidding me?" She remembered to whisper at the end.

"They breed the fighters that survive and then train the babies to fight as well. Some even fight their own siblings. It is unspeakable." He was solemn as he guided her away from a group of wizards that just landed near them.

"Charlie! How could you not have told me about this?"

"I didn't think you'd agree to come. I need you here, Hermione. I can't face this alone."

She pulled her shoulders back proudly and looked him dead in the eyes, " I fought Voldemort for fucks sake, I think I can handle a few cowardly dragon fighters. But you better believe we are taking those fuckers down. One way or another, they will pay for their decisions." She glared towards the arena.

"I have a plan." Charlie grinned again, "just play your part. You are a vindictive gambler, here to earn money. You hate dragons, and you want them to fight to their deaths. We are not a couple. We are here to settle a score and it's purely for convenience that we arrived together."

"I want them to fight to their deaths." She repeated with more conviction than she felt. Then they turned to walk over to the betting tables.

—

She approached the table as if she were Bellatrix approaching Gringott's. I am Bellatrix, she thought. I am the worst kind of witch. I torture people and animals and want everyone to suffer. She had a mantra. Merlin did she feel vile channeling that fucking bitch.

She was confused that there wasn't anyone manning the table to take the bets. What was to stop someone from stealing the money. She looked at the different dragons. She never liked show offs. She put her money on Snowfall, Typhoon, and Deadheart. Before looking at Charlie. He played the rest of the board. When they placed their gallons on the table, a long claw, sprung up from the chair and suctioned the money from her hand. It looked like a dementors' dead hand, but there was no dementor in sight.

Fucking creepy if you asked her, but she gave an evil little grin and thought about how Bellatrix would have probably thought about that claw when she masturbated. Fucking psycho. She shook her head. Great now she had that mental image for life.

Charlie guided her towards the arena. As she got closer she could see the dragons in a distance. They should be blowing fire. Why weren't they blowing fire?

"Charlie?" She asked.

"Call me Orion while we are here." He gently chided her.

"Okay. I'm Nova." She said thinking of the massive explosion she was going to wreck on all these bastards.

The gate before them shimmered as they walked through and she felt magic searching her up and down.

"They're just checking for poisons and weapons," Charlie reassured her.

He guided her towards a bench in the front row. They were seated next to three older gentlemen. One was missing an arm, one had a hook through each cheek, and the other had maniacal eyes. Maniacal eyes that sure liked the look of her breasts. Never trust a man with crazy eyes, she thought to herself before looking away. She forced herself to stick out her chest as if she welcomed the stares. It seems this event attracted all sorts of unsavory characters.

There was a goblin with a tray of rotisserie rats and fried Knarl paws shouting, "ten sickles a delicacy, ten sickles to settle yer gut." Out into the stands to the salivating grotesque group.

Uh! No thanks. Vomit.

These people were acting like they were watching a typical sporting event, albeit with much more terrible concessions.

Charlie passed her a flask. It contained the polyjuice of course but looked like spirits to the event goers.

There seemed to be a struggle in the dragon pen but Hermione couldn't get a good look. Before she knew it one Red Cap and one wizard entered the arena with a loud sonorous charm.

"Good evening wizards and werewolves, goblins, and creatures alike." He was bit fiercely by the Red Cap in the ankle.

The wizard let out a small squeak of protest before adding, "and Red Caps."

"Now, me and Zayne here have the only working wands in the stadium so don't try nothing!" He laughed.

"You've all placed yer bets, and they've been magically counted. Each round will tally up on their own, and if you'd like to spend that money on extra special time with the dragons, you can speak to me or my colleague after the event. It's up to fate now yeah."

"Let the Dragon fights begin!" He shouted with extra vigor.

What exactly did he mean with extra special time with the dragons? Did these foul people spend extra money to torture these creatures after their fights? She was livid. She was going to fucking annihilate this man, and his Red Cap pet for good measure.

First up was Armorwing and Bonescraper.

The first thing she noticed was that the dragons had some sort of magical handcuff around their necks, stopping them from breathing fire. The dragons circled each other. The Red Cap Zayne and the Wizard were each stationed at the end of long chains attached to the throat handcuffs of the dragons. They had some sort of anti burn shields covering them, when the whistle blew and they each murmured "Relashio" and the handcuffs snapped off the dragons' throats.

Armorwing was dark and black with blueish scales coating his skin. He immediately roared a tower of fire into the air.

Bonescraper was emerald green with red tips and he replied by clicking his claws.

They circled each other. Armorwing tried to fly up in the air but the long chain tied around his tail prevented him from gaining too much leverage. The dragons each took turns lunging at each other. Screaming loudly into the stands when one made contact.

The fighting got more brutal. Armorwing crouched down to blow fire into the other dragon's sensitive belly. Hermione saw the belly of the dragon continue to burn as Bonescraper cried and attempted to roll around in the dirt. He retaliated with his long claws, Armorwing tried to back up out of the way but Bonescraper punctured his right eye, popping it off with a grotesque noise. Hermione wanted to bury her head into Charlie's chest but she forced herself to cheer out eagerly at the brutality.

It kept going. Bonescraper lost one of his feet. His fucking foot! She whispered to Charlie, "will it grow back?"

The answer was no. Blood pooled out of Armorwing's face as Bonescraper used the missing eye to his advantage and attacked on that side. Biting him over and over until Armorwing reluctantly laid down in the arena. The blood continued to pool. Hermione wondered where fucking Charlie's plan was? This dragon was about to fucking die. They declared Bonescraper the winner and what looked like a medic came to tend to the creatures. I guess they don't want the dragons to die outright or they would miss out on money. Horrible vile people.

Next up was Typhoon vs Snowfall. She couldn't watch her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. They were babies. Adolescences. Sisters, she thought. Oh god. Oh god. They looked like twins. They were the same size. They had the same markings. They were both light grey with blue iridescence gleaming off of them. They were beautiful. They were fucking beautiful and she couldn't bare for them to hurt each other. To attack each other. SHE COULDN'T FUCKING BARE THIS!

"Orion." She sternly looked at Charlie, begging him to stop this with her eyes.

"Nova, these bitches are your bets yeah?" He looked back at her without a care in the world as if he wanted this.

She felt a panic attack building. "Yeah." She pleaded in a brusque voice. Please Charlie. Save these babies. Don't make me watch them destroy each other. But the fighting began anyway.

She was determined not to look. She gazed out into the sky. Pleading with herself to find someway to turn off the seats and save them. She had to find a way to use her wand. Maybe if she went into the arena she would be able to use magic. She heard the cries from the arena as each dragon fought for their lives.

She noticed a firefly in the distance. That was odd. She never saw fireflies around magic. Then she noticed more. More and more fireflies started to swarm in the sky until there were hundreds of them, then thousands. Charlie's pinky brushed hers as he carefully reached into his pocket.

Then into the sky was a pop. A bang. A boom. Weasley Wizard Wheezes' fireworks burst into the sky. Large dragons made out of fireworks soared through the sky like an omen. She saw the moment where a hush went over the crowd. Then chaos ensued.

The audience burst out of the stadium, sprinting past the anti magic zones to disapparate. She saw spells in the distance binding some guests onto the ground while still others escaped. The wizard and Red Cap in the stadium grew incensed. They grabbed their wands and looked into the crowd. The Red Cap locked eyes with her before a horrible grimace appeared on his face. "Sectumsempra." He repeated pointing his wand at each of the 15 dragons before running after the wizard in charge.

"NOOOOOOO!" She screamed charging the arena. She briefly wondered where Charlie went before focusing back on the dragons. She screamed "Relashio," over an over as her wand came back to life in the arena, corralling all the hemorrhaging dragons into one area before murmuring the spell she heard Snape say so long ago.

"Vulnera Sanentur." She traced her wand over the gaping wounds of the beasts. She wasn't FAST ENOUGH! She could see the dragons dying before her eyes. "CHARLIE! CHARLIE!" She screamed at him to help her but he wasn't around. Where was he? Where did he fucking go?

At last she heard the spell repeated back in a deep baritone matching hers, "Vulnera Sanentur."

But it wasn't Charlie's voice. She didn't care. She crawled on the dragons with her wand, stitching them up by magic, over and over. She got to the last one. Snowfall.

She looked into her eyes and saw that she was dead. She heard the cry of her twin screaming in agony next to her.

"No, No, No." She whispered, sobbing onto the dead dragon's hide. "I failed. I failed." She started to panic. Her vision grew dark and she couldn't breathe. SHE COULDN'T BREATHE! She was dying. She was dying and she failed the dragon. She felt a hand hesitantly grab her shoulder.

"Miss Granger. Breathe! Put your head between your legs." She listened to the voice and her vision slowly came back. Who was that? She continued to breath and get her panic under control. She looked up.

What met her was steal grey eyes on a very worn aristocratic face.

Lucius.

"What are you doing here?" She gasped out in shock.

"I've been trying to stop the rings. I've been working with my future son in law."

"What? Harry? Why?"

Lucius sighed as he sat next to her. Pulling out a handkerchief for her to wipe the blood off of her skin.

"Everyone has regrets Miss Granger. I'm simply playing my part to make reparations."

"I still don't like you." She responded with tears in her eyes, stroking the dead dragons beautiful scales.

"I know." He replied, "I don't much like me either." He patted her shoulder before standing up to go see about the arrests.

"Mione!"

That voice. That angel voice she would know anywhere in a crowd. Her best friend. Her family. The only person that could bring her comfort right now.

"Harry!" She looked up searching for him before she was engulfed in a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you." She sobbed into his arms.

"It's alright Mione. We got them. Charlie tackled them single handedly."

"Charlie?" She questioned.

"Yeah, we put up the anti disapparation wards once they tried to bolt and he caught them. Very impressive use of magic in fact. He managed to keep me out of the space while he kicked their arses."

"What?"

"Yeah, he sealed them in a circle and took matters in his own hands. I almost wasn't able to pull him off of them. He could have killed them Mione. He almost did. But we arrested them and found their books. The dragon medic is willing to testify, and they should go to Azkaban for a long time."

"Thank you Harry." She sobbed into his arms.

"Why are you so upset? We got them Mione."

"I failed Harry! I couldn't save all of them."

"Hermione! You saved fourteen dragons tonight. Fourteen fucking dragons are alive because of you. You didn't fail. You're amazing, and you should be proud of your efforts."

She wiped her nose on his shirt.

"Gross. This is cashmere."

"Ugh. Draco's really changed you." She laughed finally.

"Um speaking of Draco… I wasn't strictly speaking supposed to be working this week. In fact tonight was our joint stag night… and well. I left a note. Any apology note in fact, at the club, but. Well. I just… um… maybe don't mention anything to Draco, until I can explain the situation to him. He's been so stressed you see. About the wedding. I feel like this might set him off a bit, me not showing up for the stag night, and the note. The really apologetic, LONG, note that I wrote him about why this was necessary."

He looked a bit scared of his fiancé. As he should be, thought Hermione.

She laughed. She couldn't help it. He just looked so guilty and she could just imagine Draco showing up to a stag night full of strippers that Ronald Weasley planned, and seeing a note from Harry. She was hysterical. She could not imagine anything funnier than Draco Malfoy having kittens at a stag night.

"Is she okay?" Charlie asked Harry.

"Don't know mate. I think she's lost it a bit."

Hermione continued to giggle, "I'm fine. Oh dear, Harry you better get to that stag night. Merlin help you."

He looked at her sheepishly before hugging her. She saw him go speak to Lucius and the back up personnel that had arrived for paperwork and to transport the criminals to Azkaban, before he grabbed a portkey and left.

"Hey. You doing okay?" Charlie bent down and caressed her face with his strong hand.

"You're bleeding Charlie!" She noticed his knuckles were crusted with blood.

"Yeah, well strictly speaking it's mostly not my blood." He sat down next to her and stroked the dead dragon's hide.

"She was beautiful." He said.

Hermione started to tear up again. The twin dragon came over to them both and lay down with her head in Hermione's lap.

"Typhoon." Hermione spoke softly gently rubbing the dragon's head.

"I'm so sorry about your sister." Hermione told the gentle girl.

The dragon, cried out and turned to blow fire into the sky.

"It's not fair. I know. It's not fair." She continued to pet the beautiful girl.

"Looks like you're got yourself a new familiar." Charlie said.

"What!?" She exclaimed, with her eyes bulging.

"Typhoon. She loves you Hermione. She wants to be your familiar."

"Charlie you are crazy." She laughed back at him, deciding to argue later. She couldn't keep a pet dragon. At least not in London she thought.

—

They managed to make it back to their room just a few hours later. Charlie had his recruits from the reserve gather the injured dragons to receive proper medical attention along with rehabilitation back in Romania. They just had one minor snag with Typhoon.

She refused to go back with the recruits. She wouldn't leave Hermione's side. After quite a few near misses for the dragon tamers, they decided for the time being to take Typhoon back with them on their journey.

"It's only practical to have an extra form of transportation!" Hermione justified the decision while Charlie merely grinned at her with a knowing look.

"This doesn't mean I'm keeping her Charlie! She's been through a traumatic ordeal. I'm simply looking after her while we continue our search and then she can go back with you when we are finished."

Typhoon was very pleased with this decision and gracefully flew them back to their room. She surveyed Deathclaw with some skepticism but eventually lay down next to Charlie's familiar for the night.

The next morning Hermione woke Charlie up with a surprised scream.

He ran to the loo to see Hermione in her bra and knickers, examining her body with her wand lit.

"Charlie look!" She exclaimed, as she hurried over to his side.

"Tattoos!"

He smiled as he observed her body.

"I think my favorite is the magical light blue snow right here," he pointed at her ribs, where snow was falling from a watery blue cloud which extended from underneath her right breast all the way down to her right hip.

"But I didn't save her. How would I have a tattoo representing Snowfall, if she died?" She was perplexed.

"It's not from Snowfall, it's from Typhoon. They were twins and I'm guessing extremely close."

"It's quite large." Hermione noticed, "the other ones are much smaller."

She showed him the tattoos on both of her upper thighs. Some didn't make sense: a lavender arrow or a silver cluster of clovers, but others represented the dragons clearly: wings painted like stained glass, an anatomically correct mini version of a dragon's heart in ebony. They were delicate, and beautiful, and Hermione was in awe at how much she loved them.

When she removed her wand, "Nox." They all but disappeared, except for a tan outline that matched her skin and felt slightly raised to the touch.

"I think this one is so large because of the emotion between Typhoon and yourself." Charlie answered softly tracing the outline on her ribs.

"What do you think?" She asked him nervously.

"What do I think?" He replied, stepping back and looking her up and down as if to survey her body.

His cheeks hinted at a touch of blush before he locked eyes with her and began to disrobe.

Oh bloody merlin yes! Fuck! Finally, thought Hermione, as she hastily unhooked her bra and watched it hit the floor. Her breasts exposed to him for the first time. She flung herself at him, and helped him remove his belt buckle.

He began kissing her along her face and neck and collarbone. This was finally happening. Thank Merlin this was finally happening.

He stopped to kiss her neck, running his fingers through her hair before traveling downwards to the slopes of her breasts. He paused right before he touched her nipples.

He picked her up and put her on the counter by the sink, leaning her against the mirror behind her. Then he knelt before her running his hands up her thighs and tracing each tattoo with his tongue. It felt so good and so right and so sexy.

"Hermione."

She opened her eyes. When had she closed them?

"What?" She asked.

"I want to make sure you're okay with this?"

"Okay with this?"

"Yes."

"Okay with your tongue all over my body? Of course I'm okay with this."

"I mostly meant me fucking you on this countertop but we can start with my tongue." He grinned at her as she blushed crimson.

"Yes. Yes. Um yes. That would be… well um yes." She used to consider herself to be quite eloquent. She now realized this was false. She sighed out in pleasure as he continued to kiss up her thighs.

The problem with Hermione was that sometimes in the moment she had difficulty focusing. Like with her ex boyfriends she would think about an article she forgot to look up, or whether or not Barnaby needed fresh owl treats. So when her mind started to wander with Charlie she became quite frustrated.

"Damnit get out of my mind!" She thought.

Focus on his lovely tongue licking on top of your knickers. She chastised herself. Don't think about it she told herself again. Don't picture it.

"Charlie wait!" She pulled him up from his administrations sighing out in frustration. She would not be able to focus unless she got this out in the open.

"Did I do something wrong?" He questioned vulnerably.

"No! Not at all. That felt amazing. I just… I can't stop wondering… about something"

"About…" she continued before pausing to try to figure out how to mention it.

"If Lucius has tattoos all over his thighs?"

She burst out in laughter! "YES! Oh my Merlin above can you imagine Narcissa finding them. I just wonder, does he have the sweet lavender arrow. Is his thigh covered in a stain glass wing? Does he have any idea how he got these things?"

He chuckled back at her. "I admit my mind did wander there myself. Look Hermione, I don't want to force this. I want you. I'm attracted to you. I desire you, but I don't want to force something that isn't happening naturally. I need you to be honest with me about how you feel."

She cringed by his bluntness. What did she want? Him obviously. Why was she holding back? What exactly was the problem?

"I do want you Charlie."

"You do?"

"Yes! I want you so badly." And then it all came tumbling out, "You are by far the most attractive, lustful man I've ever been around. Gods I just adore you."

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her breasts into his chest. "I can not even stop myself from touching you." Her hands stroked his back and brazenly grabbed his arse.

"Why don't we move to the bed. I'm fucking sick of waiting for this."

"Yeah?" He questioned, like a typical male.

"Yeah." She smiled, before reaching up to kiss him again.

And then it just started happening.

She pulled him onto the bed and helped him remove his pants. He pulled her close and caressed her breasts. She bit his neck as he growled into her ear and pulled her on top of him. Her knickers were ripped off her bum. His fingers rubbed her wetness before he used his dick to rub her clit. His mouth found one nipple and nibbled her gently. His other hand tweaked her other breast as he thrust his cock inside her. She screamed out in pleasure as he pulled her down over and over on his cock. He stretched her with his dick and gripped her thighs leaving bruises from his fingers.

It was so animalistic, it was so sensual, and Hermione had never felt this raw sexuality between her legs. She never wanted to stop fucking him. She felt him hit her g-spot over and over again. Gods she was close! She reached down to help herself by touching her clit. Usually her lovers took offense to this but not Charlie. He whispered in her ear how she should touch herself. Taunting her with his brilliant words as he continued to fuck her pussy. She listened like the good student she was, and before she knew it she was about to come.

"Charlie! YES! I'm going to come! Fuck! Yes! Fuck me, just like that! Gods you're so hot." She didn't want it to end and yet she was begging him to come as well. She felt the waves of pleasure crash into her as he cried out his own orgasm. Then he took her by surprise and flipped her on her back wrapping her thighs around his neck and diving in for a taste of her.

She shuddered as his mouth hummed around her clit. It was too much! She couldn't possibly come again. She had never had two orgasms in a row from a man. But this man was devouring her. He was licking and sucking and nibbling her clit as his muscular hands reached inside her pussy, curling his fingers into the most pleasurable spot on her body.

"Fuck that's good!" Hermione cried.

She felt all her senses overloading as he continued to eat her out. She lifted her hips and rode his face. She felt so free as she did so. So free to claim her own satisfaction from this man.

"Yes! Charlie! More, don't stop!" She was shouting out now, begging, and encouraging him in his efforts.

"Harder! Grab my tits!" Instructing him just like in her fantasies. His spare hand reached up to tug on one of her nipples, twisting it roughly at her pleading.

Oh Gods she was going to come again!

"Fucking so good!" She stammered out as the bliss overtook her once again.

"I'm coming!" She whispered as he sucked on her clit harder.

"I'm coming so hard! Merlin yes!" She spoke louder.

And then she stopped, she was breathing hard and she gripped his hands, removing one from her cunt and looked up.

He pulled back with a cheeky grin on his face. She smiled back with a happy little pat on his shoulder.

"I could do that all day." He laughed as he came up to kiss her.

"It's already so hard to leave Charlie! Don't tempt me!" She giggled.

He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled onto his chest.

"Then don't leave." He replied.

She looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest.

"I have the wedding." She responded, avoiding the problem.

"Then come back after the wedding." He looked at her with a much more serious expression, his eyes smoldering into hers.

She sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest.

"I'm thinking about it." She returned, hiding her vulnerability into her knees. Charlie pulled her chin up to look into her eyes.

"I'm in love with you." He told her earnestly.

Well fuck.


	6. Trouble in paradise

Panic seized Hermione as she replayed the words he had just spoken, "I'm in love with you," over and over in her mind.

"What?" She managed, gaping at him like a dead fish.

"I am madly in love with you." He repeated, shocking her further.

"Charlie… I…" she couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm not going to pressure you to say it back." He shushed her, then continued, "time is running out and I just thought you should know. I am not a passive man Hermione. I go after what I want, I don't sit idly by and watch my passions disappear. I desperately want you. I couldn't let you leave in a few days without knowing how I feel about you. We would be amazing together. You know it and I know it." Then he stood up and walked into the bathroom to shower. Damn if his arse didn't look great as he walked away.

She lay in the bed in shock. He was quite bold it turned out. He was sexy when he was bold, she thought. Her anxieties raced into her brain and echoed in her mind.

"I can't leave my job, I can't leave my home, I can't chase after dragons, I can't be in love with a dragon tamer! I just can't. I am not in fact in love with him. He is a handsome distraction while on holiday. He barely means anything to me. He is a good friend and lover. That's all. Besides, where would Barnaby get his homemade owl treats on the road like this. It's not practical. What would I do without a bookstore within arms reach?

True I would be spending my time researching in the field which is kind of exciting. I would be writing my own book which is a dream of mine come true. I would be living with a very ruggedly charming man and seeing the world which does sound appealing. Why does this sound so appealing. I can't leave Harry. Or Ron. But I would be rid of Draco…"

Her mind raced over the logistics of it all. How would she ever decide? How does one just up and change their whole life on a whim and week long romance? This wasn't a romantic comedy. This was real life. Her book would be a disaster, nobody even cared about dragons anymore. She would be broke and not even her war heroine status would put food on the table. She couldn't face her boss and just quit.

What would she even say to him? "Kingsley I've decided to give my notice. I'm quitting. I will be joining my lover on a long trip around the world chasing dragons to write an updated text cataloging everything there is to know about the slightly hostile beasts."

He would frown at her. He would try to talk her out of it. She would disappoint him damnit. Her heart raced just thinking through the possibilities of what he would say. Maybe she could soften the blow with homemade cookies. Ones that spelled out, "world's best boss" or "you made me who I am today." Perhaps a cake would be better she stressed to herself. But who would write the laws and jump through all the many many hoops for magical creatures? No one that's who! No one else would think about the plight of the creatures. She would basically be responsible for the misery of all magical creatures!

She just couldn't do it. There was no way.

The only thing that could possibly break up her anxious self talk was seeing the head of none other than Harry Potter in the floo right in front of her.

"Hermione!" He sounded relieved to see her there. Hermione pulled the covers up higher to her shoulders. He started babbling without even looking at her.

"He's gone insane. He has flipped his lid and called off the wedding! I can't even believe this! I thought it was another one of his many tantrums. But he actually called it off. All the plans have stalled! He won't even answer my fire calls! He is holed up at your flat with that damn neurotic owl! Two birds of a fucking feather…" that's when he noticed her.

"Are you naked?" He questioned.

"That is none of your business actually. Why are you firecalling me, what in Merlin's saggy left y- front am I supposed to do?"

"I guess that means I lose the bet."

"Bet! What bet? Merlin you lot need to get a life and stay out of mine! Why are you calling me? Shouldn't you be groveling in front of your insane fiancé?"

"The bet on how long it would take you to sleep with Charlie. I chose the night of my wedding. I figured you'd be feeling nostalgic and slightly teary. Then you would seek out his warm body to make you feel better. George will never let us hear the end of this."

"George! What did George say?"

"He said today. He said it would long enough to where you'd feel comfortable with Charlie but still short enough for you to leave without feeling guilty. He also didn't think you could resist the sexual tension between you and Charlie any more after today. Arthur was a close second, he figured if you managed to disperse the dragon ring you would throw yourself at him… come to think of it, did you sleep with Charlie last night or this morning? I wonder who would be considered the winner. After midnight would definitely be George. The stakes are high Hermione. The stakes are high."

"Um what? Excuse me what? Mr. Weasley bet on when I would sleep with his son?"

"Well we were quite bored the night you left really, and there may have been fire whiskey involved. Aunt Murial had you pinned for giving it up the very first night. Apparently YOU look like a bit of a harlot." He teased.

"Ugh! That woman is a real piece of work and well… George is right. Except about the leaving part… and the guilt." She looked away from him quickly.

He eyed her closely.

"You like him." He said it with such finality as he eyed her.

"I will talk to Draco." She changed the subject quickly. That's the ticket, just a little bit of avoidance and a dash of refocusing Harry back to his own self involvement, that ought to get her out of talking about this.

Harry sighed.

"Look. I want to help you with the Charlie issue. I really do, but I can't have my whole life fall apart. Will you talk to him? I promise you I will help you fix whatever mess you've landed in with Charlie after the wedding. I just need Draco to change his mind back. Please Hermione! He's the most important person in my life and I can't lose him. Please tell me you used a condom." He added that last little tidbit quickly as if jamming a knife into her side.

"Gah! Harry! Are you a daft fool, I have been on the potion steadily since I started dating not that I even needed to be on it consistently these last few years anyway. It's about time I've finally taken a lover in fact, make all that money I spent on the damn potion worth it. Not to mention the time and energy I put into brewing it myself. If I were to go down to the potion mart Rita Skeeter would print all sorts of horrible lies about my sex life… or lack there of."

"You're rambling."

She sighed, looking at her panicked friend. It was an expression she knew all too well.

"I'll talk to Draco right away. I'll sort it out, even if I have to punch him in the face again. Preferably, if I have to punch him in the face again." She grinned.

"I know how much you adore him too, Mione. You can't fool me. You are both so much alike that you only see his flaws magnified, because really they're your own flaws in a much sexier package." He smiled finally.

"Well thank you for that! And on that note, now I'm going to be thinking about how if I'd only had a dick, you would have ended up with me."

Then they were both laughing at the thought of having sex with each other.

He sighed again, "please Hermione. Fix this."

"I will." She promised as he disappeared from the floo.

Fucking Draco Malfoy. She felt the migraine coming on already.

Just as she was thinking about what she might say to convince the unreasonable man, Charlie walked out of the shower.

Charlie walked out of the shower buck naked.

Hermione stared at him completely flustered. She was startled by his brazen behavior. He just walked out with his dick proudly standing at attention. She couldn't even take her eyes off of it. Or him. Definitely just him in general, not just his dick and the way it nudged his left thigh when he walked, heavy and long. Not his dick and the way precum started to leak out of the flushed head as she stared. Not the way his red hair made his penis look like it was on fire.

Her eyes finally moved up his body ever so slowly. She took in the chiseled abs, and the Adonis belt that made up the extremely enticing V that she wanted to bite into with her teeth. She stared at his chest and thought about teasing his nipples with her fingers. She noticed the vein on his neck as he swallowed and she imagined her tongue licking him there. Well he was pure sex wasn't he? She finally made it to his eyes. The merriment she saw there made her giggle.

"Sorry," She stammered, "I was just, um…"

"You were staring." He mused with a grin.

"Well Yes! Fine, if you must know, I was just oogling you. You're the one that came out starkers from the shower. Can you blame me? Have you seen yourself? It's really… well, it's just really very very good. Very very good. I was remembering when you were inside of me, truth be told."

He growled at her, before he ripped the covers off of her body and pulled her thighs toward himself to wrap around his stomach. The abruptness of his action sent a thrill straight into her core.

Oh fuck. Charlie.

His dick was obviously ready but he rubbed it across her entrance to make sure she was wet. She felt his dick slick her up further than she already was from checking him out. Gods he felt so good. She was right in that he was quite large. Quite a bit larger than most of the men she had been with in the last few years. He should feel proud, she thought, as he pressed himself inside her for the second time. Her soreness made her gasp, and he slowed for a moment to give her time to adjust before picking up speed again.

He was kneeling on the bed and he thoughtfully grabbed a pillow to place underneath her back. This changed the angle so deliciously. She felt the tightness as he snapped his hips into her. She was already very close when he used his thumb to circle her clit, rubbing it quickly and deepening the pressure.

"Charlie, I'm so close, DON'T STOP!" She would kill him if he changed rhythms.

"Hermione, I'm about to come!"

Oh Merlin, she was so turned on! This was a quickie! She's never had a quickie before. Fuck! She thrust back into him fiercely as she felt his body release, then she let her body take over as the sweet release of her third orgasm in less than two hours hit her at last.

They were both breathing heavy.

"Fuck. Draco Malfoy." Hermione remembered.

"Excuse me?" Charlie questioned. Oh bollocks.

"No. No." She reassured him, "I have to floo Draco." She held him close against her breasts as they both finished coming down from the sex, kissing each other lazily.

"He called off the wedding."

"Wow! Why? Are you going to go back?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that but I will if I have to. There's only 3 days until the wedding Charlie. I have to go back really soon anyway. This is a lost cause isn't it? I'm a daft fool for thinking we could find her."

"Don't give up yet. There are three more places to go. The first is really promising. The second is unlikely, and the third, well… I hope she's not there. That would be the end of our rope. I should have you home by the rehearsal, and I'll even accompany you as your date." He winked at her again and she laughed.

"Now I know you haven't asked me to be your date yet for the wedding, but I can tell, you were just about to, so I'd be honored to escort you." He gave her a cheeky smile.

"Of course I would love for you to be my date." She kissed him softly on the lips, "but first I better get groom number drama queen back on board so groom number 1 doesn't die of heart ache."

"Okay, I'll just get our tent ready, and grab supplies."

"Excuse me? Tent?"

"Yes. Tent. We'll be roughing it tonight sweetheart."

She hated camping. She absolutely despised camping.

"Is that strictly necessary?"

"Yep!" He swatted her arse as he stood up to put on his clothes. She slowly pulled on her knickers and bra ignoring the little thrill she got from Charlie spanking her.

"Charlie, I'm not exactly the camping type. I mean I'm pretty sure I have PTSD surrounding camping and the horcrux hunt, so perhaps we could figure something else out." She anxiously bit her lower lip.

"There are some places that are completely isolated from humans and this is one of them. There is no other choice this time."

He was serious.

"Is it safe?"

"Of course it is."

"Charlie…"

"I promise you, you're going to like this one." And he smiled so earnestly that she started to believe him.

"Okay. I trust you." She realized that that was the complete truth. She did trust him. Implicitly. She didn't need to micromanage this man. She could just let him make decisions on his own. What a revelation. She chuckled to herself.

"What?"

"I just realized that it's quite nice sometimes to let someone else take the reigns. I feel so free." And she did.

She had very rarely felt this feeling before. It was a full feeling of energy, excitement, and contentment right in her solar plexus that seemed to swell like a balloon about to burst. She felt it after they defeated Voldemort, when he was gone and Harry was finally safe, and she felt it now with Charlie. Happiness. Safety. Excitement.

Charlie left the cabin to get supplies and Hermione sat on the bed. What if she stayed with him? Would she feel this way forever? She didn't know. Perhaps it would wear off, and they would bicker like she did with Ron, and the sex would turn passionless like it did with most long term couples, and she would be miserable. Perhaps.

—

She finished dressing and grabbed the floo powder.

"Hermione Granger's flat." She called into the floo. She half expected it to be warded up from all calls, but she supposed Draco wasn't able to keep her out since she was the owner. She saw him laying on the couch asleep with Barnaby using his arm like a perch. They were… almost snuggling. How did this happen she wondered?

"Malfoy! Wake up!"

His eyes widened with her rude greeting as she saw him start to panic.

"It's me! Wake up!" He finally found her in the floo.

"What in Merlin's name, gives you the right to startle me like that Granger. You're lucky that wands scare Barnaby or I could have killed you."

"Wands scare Barnaby?" She questioned.

"Yes of course! Why else would he make his frightened hooting noises when there is a wand in your hand?"

"I thought he was singing." She mused.

"Singing? Of course you thought it was singing. I've heard you try to carry a tune. I'm not surprised in the least."

"You are the most frustrating person I've ever met in my whole life. Why did you call off the wedding? Harry is beside himself with heartbreak. He loves you, you giant turd!"

"Did you just call me a giant turd."

"If it acts like a duck, and it smells like a duck…" she shrugged.

"Excuse me Granger! I have excellent hygiene! I have been the perfect fiancé! Harry on the other hand missed our stag night for you! He deserted me on one of the most important nights of our lives for you! You and Ronald will always come first for him. I can't compete with that and I'm tired of trying. Malfoy's never come in third. It's embarrassing.

I show up like a daft prick to 'The Chaser's Quaffle' and have to listen to Ronald Weasley go on and on about how tolerant and accepting he is and how excited he is to plan a gay stag party, complete with the most bumbling strippers I've ever seen.

He put a penis tiara on my head Hermione, and bought me lap dances. I had to sit there while a man tried to take off his g-string with one hand on what was clearly his very first day stripping while Ronald said things like 'oh give him a chance Malfoy! He's just starting out! Don't you like his large bum?' And no I did not like his large bum Hermione."

He paused to catch his breath. Before continuing,

"Then, someone finally deems it important enough to give me Potter's apology letter, and I'm stuck WORRYING about my fiancé dying by a dragon, while he breaks up a FIGHTING RING WITH MY FATHER!"

Hermione felt for the bastard, he was clearly at his breaking point.

"He's just… and I just… and he is so… grrrrr."

"I know Malfoy. He can be so frustrating, and thoughtless sometimes, and there's the whole saving thing. It's difficult. He just knew how much it would mean to me. His heart's in the right place you know. He wants to do the right thing. And for what it is worth, he would choose you over Ron and I any day. Do you know how many lunches he canceled with me these past 6 months?"

Malfoy was silent. So she continued.

"Do you know how happy he's been since you got together finally?"

Malfoy looked at his nails.

"And you've been happy too, haven't you?"

Malfoy thought about this for a moment before sighing.

"Yes alright! He makes me bloody happier than anything in this whole entire planet. I just want to marry him and be in love with him forever okay?"

"So you're not calling off the wedding?" Hermione smiled at him.

"Of course I'm not actually calling off the wedding. Do you know how much time and energy I've put into this thing? I just want him to understand the gravity of the situation."

"You've worked very hard darling."

"Ugh! Now you sound like my mother." He grinned at her as she made a puke face.

"You're my best friend you know." Malfoy said without looking her in the eyes.

"Um what? What about Blaise or Pansy? You don't even call me by my first name."

"Not to your face. They're my childhood friends, of course they mean a lot to me, but you and Harry, well you're family now."

"Draco, I'm touched." She didn't know how to respond to that, "were you cuddling with Barnaby when I firecalled you?"

Draco beamed at the bird in the corner of the room.

"Yes. Barnaby and I have come to a sort of understanding. He is a sorely misunderstood owl I'll have you know."

"Yes. Yes of course. So you'll talk to Harry? I don't need to come back there?"

Draco stood up quickly and leaned in close to her, "are you insane? You need to come back here immediately. I need you. I am falling to pieces! What could you possibly have left to do out there?"

"We have three locations left. I'll be back for the rehearsal dinner."

"Oh Merlin, you fucked him." He sat back on the rug before continuing, "are you in love with him?"

"I don't know." Hermione answered truthfully, "I could be in love with him. Very easily…" she wrung her hands together.

"Are you going to be with him after the wedding?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"You're just going to abandon everyone and scamper off with a dragon tamer, Willy nilly? Who, I'll give it to you, looks like a Greek god but come on? There's no way you would actually do this. It's so impulsive. It's so rash."

"Look Malfoy. Draco. I don't know. Okay. I don't know what to do and I don't want to think about it right now. We are so close to finding her! I can feel it!"

"What if you don't find her? She's probably dead you know."

"Your childhood really fucked you up, you know that?"

"Yes."

She sighed, "I don't know what I'll do. We have three more places to look and then I'm giving up. I'll turn Gringotts into a fucking dragon sanctuary if I have to. Okay."

"Lucky for you, Fleur has taken on some of the wedding arrangements and begged Molly to babysit instead. Everyone is happy. So go be with your Dragon man. But you better be on time for the rehearsal dinner. I expect you to give my speech."

Hermione started coughing. "No."

"You have to. You owe me. You're my best friend, it's a requirement now."

"I turn down the role."

"No take backs. You are now my best friend. Get to writing." And with that the floo was suddenly empty.


	7. Camping

Apparently the next location was quite a ways away.

"Are you comfortable riding Typhoon by yourself, or would you like to ride with me on Deathclaw?"

"I never thought I'd hear myself say this but I am completely comfortable and confident to ride the dragon by myself." She marveled at her own daring.

They smiled at each other while he helped her find the right spot to sit on Typhoon.

"I for one, am not surprised." He told her as he sat upon his own familiar.

"You aren't?" She asked him skeptically. The dragons took flight, soaring through the air but flying at a leisurely pace, and Hermione was close enough to talk with Charlie comfortably.

"Why would I be? People underestimate you and they always have. But I never have. I read through the subtext of Ron's letters, and eventually Ginny's and Fred's and George's too. They all wrote to me about this fierce, brilliant girl, who excelled at everything she did. Well, except boys, but I took that as a good sign. I heard about it constantly, and even from my own mum and dad. Then I met you, and I saw past the hair, and the make up free face and the nervous insecurities you used as a shield."

"Are you saying you had a crush on me way back then?" She asked him teasingly. That was before the Yule ball when no male had ever looked at her twice.

"I didn't know what I felt when I met you at first. My brother was very clearly into you, and I was older, and abroad. I could tell you didn't feel it like I did. So I pushed that spark down. I dated other women, but I thought about you a lot more than I should've, considering you ended up dating my brother."

"Is that why you volunteered so readily for this little adventure?"

"Yes. Although I figured at the very least I could finally know for sure if the spark was still there, or if you were just a really good friend that I deluded myself into thinking I had a future with."

"And what have you determined?" She asked innocently.

"The spark is gone."

Her face fell, "What?" She started to feel her anxiety rise and panicked thoughts rose to the forefront of her mind.

Charlie flew Deathclaw closer, as close as he could until he was inches from her face and the dragons' wings were caressing each other.

"The spark that I felt so long ago?" He told her, gazing deeply into her eyes, "it's gone. It ignited something between us for me. It kindled into a roaring fire that burned over everything I own and everything I am. I'm consumed by it now. There's a scorching, fervent, white heat that I feel whenever I touch you, or look at you, or even think about you. It burns into me a sense of purpose and finality that I don't ever want to lose. That won't ever stop burning. You've set alight Fiendfyre in my heart. I am all in Hermione."

Then he took her face in his rough, scarred hands, and kissed her passionately. His vulnerability apparent in every touch of his tongue onto hers. The dragons began to sing.

He pulled away from her then smiling at the Dragons' eerie melody and flew Deathclaw an easy distance a part from hers. He continued to hold her hand as they flew away from the sun while it started to set.

Hermione looked behind her to capture the bold reds and oranges in her memory forever, the colors were flickering across the horizon. That sky, painted just like fire, his hand in hers, and the dragon beneath her singing. She wanted to remember this forever. And that's when she knew… that she loved him.

—

What would she even do with this information? She felt her heart screaming, "You daft bint, write the book, make babies, travel the world."

But her pesky brain was calmly whispering to her, "it will never work out. And then where will you be? Broken hearted in some rural wizard town with a half written book, and you don't even know if you want babies!"

"But what if it does work out?" Her heart shouted!

"Unlikely. What was the rate of divorce again? Oh yeah! Really fucking high!" Her brain put in.

"But not wizarding divorce. Very very low." Her heart responded.

And back and forth she went, internally struggling the entire trip in the sky. It was a shame really that Hermione wasn't even focusing on the beauty as they out flew the sunset to their destination. The painted fire followed them and she was too busy dealing with an internal diatribe to enjoy the view.

Periodically Charlie squeezed her hand. Hermione tried to ignore her troubled thoughts as she refocused on the gentle glide of Typhoon below her. She realized that she really quite liked flying thank you very much! Turns out she just needed to trust the vessel below her!

She trusted Charlie's vessel, she joked to herself, thinking about his body again. Oh dear. Wrong train of thought, get your libido under control girl.

"How much further Charlie?" She asked him finally.

Charlie pointed and Hermione gasped!

She could just make out a bit of green in the sky as they landed.

"We'll have to walk a bit from here. The mating pairs won't like our familiars around since they aren't mated together."

"Where exactly are we? Is that The Aurora Borealis?" She gaped as the sky turned to dusk and she could see the color better.

"Ahh. Yes, that is what most people know of it as."

"Well what is it really?" She eagerly questioned, staring at the swirls of green in the sky.

"That my dear, is the smoke leftover from mating dragons."

"What?" She was frustrated now! This was absolutely stunningly beautiful and NO ONE EVEN KNEW ABOUT THIS!

"How can no one know about this?" She asked him.

"Dragon tamers do, but that's about it. Most wizards won't travel to see it. Even dragon tamers, think it's too far, too rural, and not worth it. Dragons mate here but they don't stay for long. Just long enough for an egg cycle. Then they leave and lay the eggs back at their nests."

Hermione was thoughtful for a moment.

"So we're about to watch a bunch of dragons have sex?" She asked.

Charlie laughed immediately and she fell into the giggles herself, "hide your sensibilities babe, I'm about to show you things you've never seen before." He kissed her hand as he teased her.

"So… these dragons will be making love and we are going to interrupt them? How rude." She joked, looking for answers.

"Well not exactly. We may see some, 'in the throes of passion' but there is a whole ritual involved in their mating. There is music as you witnessed our familiars demonstrating, then there is a gift, an affection period, dragon sex yes, but afterwards they don't leave right away. The male bathes the female and cares for her before she leaves."

"He bathes her? Where?" She looked around.

"There's a large group of hot springs close by. The dragons enjoy the heat of course. That's where we will put up our tent."

"Oh. I forgot about that." Hermione grimaced.

"Don't tell me you're going to be unhappy about sleeping in a tent underneath the northern lights, next to a hot spring?"

"Well, when you put it that way… it sounds quite magical." She gave in and he pulled her in for a kiss.

"I hope so." He winked at her before taking her closer to the dragons.

She could see them off in the distance. From what she could tell there were many couples out tonight.

She watched as one blew fire into the sky and saw the flames leave a brilliant emerald hue behind.

"Why does it turn green?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, I'm guessing it is sort of like pheromones? There is just so much we don't know."

"Do you mind if I take some notes?" Hermione asked pulling out parchment.

"Of course not." He smiled at her so genuinely that she wanted to kiss his face off. But she had work to do.

"Will we bother them?" She questioned.

"No. They're pretty focused during this time. If you got really close to them they would probably try to scare you off with fire, but they won't come after us if we give them enough space. We should be able to observe them easily at our leisure."

Hermione used her wand to cast a "lumos" it was getting darker and she needed to see the Gringotts tag if any of them had it. She was fascinated. She had never heard of dragons giving off a different color smoke. She knew almost nothing about their mating habits, or fertility periods, or anything. She was enthralled. She hadn't felt this excited about research since Hogwarts! This was exactly the type of work she wanted to do. She made up her mind while she circled her third pair of dragons. She was staying.

She was going to let herself be happy, be in love, and do work that made her excited and fulfilled. It had been ages since anything she worked on made a huge difference and she was tired of the disrespect she faced in the ministry. By writing this book she could open the eyes of many people about how to treat, care for, and honor these amazing creatures. Her opinion of them had completely changed in just a few weeks. She couldn't imagine how she was going to feel working with them and observing them every day.

She got it. She understood Charlie's passion, and it was becoming a passion of her own too. She could never give up Typhoon. She loved her already. She couldn't wait to learn more about them.

She took notes and sketches about everything she saw. It was beautiful seeing the color fill the sky, it was angelic hearing their love songs fill the air, and she was mesmerized by their movements with each other.

Their affection period that Charlie mentioned reminded her of wizarding affections. They cuddled and stroked each other with their wings. They nuzzled each other with their noses, and they blew fire into the air as if synchronized dancers. The green smoke lingering in its wake.

"How long does the smoke last in the sky?"

"Quite a while. I hypothesize that it lasts until the eggs hatch, but by then there are new dragons here mating and filling the sky with new color."

"How come there are so many single dragons around the continent? I don't see them in pairs that often."

"Again this is a theory. There hasn't been any research completed in the last century. When the dragon levels were very low and they almost went extinct, many dragons traveled long distances to search for partners. There weren't enough partners to go around. Now you'll see a lot of older dragons that are isolated and by themselves because they missed their fertility window when they would meet their mates."

"So dragons mate for life?"

"I'm not sure. I think so personally, but that's only based on my work at the reserve. They form familial groups, and they're very attached to their loved ones, as you saw with Typhoon."

"Fascinating." Hermione scribbled more notes. She was going to run out of parchment.

As the night grew darker, and Hermione started writing in really tiny letters so as not to fill up the parchment, she finally observed the last pair.

"She's not here." Hermione said sadly.

"I know. Do you have enough information to hold you over for a while? I'd like to set up camp and eat. It's getting late."

Hermione's stomach growled, "oops! I haven't gotten that carried away since Hogwarts."

"It pleases me to see you so passionate about something I love so dearly."

They walked hand and hand back to their familiars and circled around the mating groups to get to the hot springs.

"Will they be upset if they see Deathclaw and Typhoon by the springs?" Hermione asked worriedly looking around.

"No, they won't come to the springs for a few days yet. They're um… 'romantic' a few times before they're finished and ready to bathe the females."

She could just make out his blush under the glow of the Northern Lights.

"So what is for dinner?" She was starving.

"I thought I would curry some vegetables. Does that sound appealing."

"That sounds amazing actually. I'd love to help."

Hermione helped him cook the food, laughing with Charlie as they worked together to complete their task. They made a joyful pair and ate in communal contentment until they were full.

"Charlie?"

"Yes my dear?"

Hermione was embarrassed by his ease of the use of nicknames.

"What if I didn't want to stay. What if I went back to London, and wanted you to leave all this and come with me." She was nervous asking him this. But it was important to her.

He looked deep in her eyes, questioning her from his seat.

"Is that what you want?"

"What if it was? What would you say?"

He put down his fork and plate, stood up from his chair, then he walked over to her and took a knee.

"I'd say, 'done.'" He pulled her hair behind her ear, looking at her face.

"What?"

"If that's what you want, then done. I'd have to wrap up things at the reserve, but that shouldn't take more than a few weeks. I would however insist on us getting a new place that could accommodate two dragons. Your place just isn't going to cut it. I hope that doesn't offend you."

She smiled, throwing her plate onto the haphazardly made table they transfigured a few moments ago.

They both stood up.

"I want to stay with you Charlie."

"You do?"

"Yes. I'm quite in love with you it turns out."

He wrapped her in his arms before pulling back to look at her again.

"And you don't want to go back to London? You want to write the book and travel with me?"

"I've never wanted anything more." She confessed. He kissed her deeply before she pulled away.

"Charlie?"

"Yes?" He questioned through his smile.

"I want you to bathe me in the hot springs."

It turned serious. Hermione expected him to start ripping off her clothes, but he didn't do that.

He slowed down. His kisses turned desperately slow. His touch scalded her as he dragged his fingers down her spine.

"It's freezing outside." He told her. She knew this.

"Um, won't the water keep us warm? And our bodies?" She nervously asked. He pulled off her jacket and she shivered already.

"You should cast a mild warming charm." She had trouble casting the spell while he was kissing her neck in that achingly slow manor.

What was wrong with him? She couldn't continue at this slow pace. She was going to go fucking crazy.

She tried to rip off her pants but he stopped her, kneeling before her to torture her by licking a path along her hip nibbling around the bone.

"Um Charlie, let's you know, speed this up a bit, I'd like to get into the warm water." She could feel the icy air pressing against her warming charm.

"This charm won't last for long." She continued.

"I've had you quickly Hermione. This time I want to memorize your body with my tongue. I want to savor you."

Oh sweet Jesus.

"Okay. Yeah, okay... Yeah." She was really very stupid when she was turned on.

And he did take his time with her. She had to renew the warming charm twice by the time they were both naked and each time the frozen air hit her she felt tingles throughout her whole body igniting all her nerve endings.

She looked at their naked bodies beneath the Aurora Borealis, their tattoos glowed brightly. Gods he was a delicious man!

"Charlie! I need you inside me." She hungered for his art covered body to make a mural against hers.

"Okay, walk slowly into the water, the temperature difference could be shocking."

He guided her slowly back into the shallow springs. It felt like a warm blanket rising up to cover her body. Ice surrounded the springs on all sides.

"Hold on," She motioned for him to stop as she cast a spell on her vagina, "impervius naturale eius debent."

"What was that?" he asked with an amused expression knowing it wasn't a birth control spell.

"Well as much as I'm looking forward to having you in this warm spring, I am not looking forward to a Urinary Tract Infection."

He chuckled at her and pulled her close, kissing along her cheek, and jaw, "all set?"

"Yes!" She gasped as he bit her gently under her ear. He led her to deeper water until they were navel deep in the warmth. He turned her around until he was behind her, and he kissed and nibbled his way down both sides of her neck. His hands groping her breasts from behind.

She watched him summon a pillow from their tent and put a warming charm on it near the edge of the springs. Then he lay her face first into the pillow and slowly rubbed his cock against her entrance from behind.

"No anal please." She squeaked. And Charlie started laughing again.

"You think I would just spring anal sex on you without explicitly discussing it with you first? Hermione doll. I am not that kind of man. He lightly swatted her bum."

She cried out at the gentle slap.

"Well I don't know! It's been a while okay! Apparently arse stuff is in! According to G- um friends of mine."

He ignored the near slip of his sister's name.

"Tell me what you like Hermione." He encouraged her while he continued to rub his dick against her opening in the water.

"Ahhh! I like that. Um. I like when you slap my arse."

SWAT!

She inhaled sharply!

"Not super rough but uh, yes, just like that."

He pressed her into the pillow on the shore as the warming charm gave out again and the pillow turned cold. She felt the ice beneath the pillow give off a frosty chill against her breasts. It felt like melting ice cubes against her nipples. It was lovely.

Charlie was warm as he continued to tease her in the spring, and she tried to leverage her body back into him to make him finally fuck her but he was all about the slow ministrations tonight. He took his warm hand and rubbed her clit. The hot spring heated up her core and she thought she could cum just from the springs' heat while he rubbed her. The ice continued to press against her breasts through the pillow and she felt sensory overload as the heat and chill battled her erroneous zones.

"Charlie! Please!" She was getting desperate now and he slowly gave her an inch of his beautiful cock before he pulled out of her again, leaving behind a swirl of hot spring water near her cunt.

He gave her another inch in an agonizing fashion as he whispered about her arse and her tits and all the things he was going to do to her. Gods oh gods! All of her senses begged for release.

Her ears as she listened to his erotic words, her smell as she breathed in the icy frosted wind, her sight as she looked into the Northern lights out of the eye not pressed toward the icy pillow, her touch as the heat and chill caressed her desperately, and her taste as she kissed his forearm that held him up from her body and sucked on his pulse.

She nibbled his wrist and he grabbed her hair lightly to pull her back from him as he finally, finally pressed his whole dick inside her. She thrust backwards to feel him again as he pulled out and there they began there own mating ritual. She felt his dragon like muscles as he held onto his control. Slowly making love to her against the frozen bank. When she came it was without warning, powerfully crying out her satisfaction as he continued to move. He lost his control then, finally, moaning about the feel of his dick inside her, and how fucking good she felt, and how she ruined him forever with how good her pussy was.

She never wanted to stop. She felt it building again, the orgasm, and the lust, and the heat, and when she came a second time she felt the ice melt beneath the heat of their lovemaking. When he came, he cried out her name, and they heard the dragons' song grow louder in the distance.

He didn't pull away right away. Instead he caressed her back and bathed her shoulders with the warm water, professing his love over and over again with each wash of water.

Hermione felt the tears fall onto her cheeks as she let him bathe her. This was love. She felt so loved.


	8. The mother dragon

Hermione could not believe how romantic the previous night had been. They made love two more times in the tent. It turns out she loved camping. Camping was now her absolute favorite hobby. She just needed the proper motivation to camp. Well she found it.

"Good morning." Charlie awoke, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Good morning." She replied shyly caressing his bare bicep.

"Thank you for last night. I've never felt like that before." She was embarrassed, but trying to be bold. She didn't want to be ashamed of her feelings for this wonderful man. She didn't want to hold back in her life in general anymore. It was a relief. She felt the boldness take hold of her and it make her feel strong, and confident.

"You deserve it Hermione. I can't wait to start planning our research tour for your book. There are so many places I can't wait for you to see. This will be amazing."

He looked thrilled, genuinely thrilled, like a child the day of Christmas bursting to open his presents.

"And you're sure you want to come with me? Don't you need to stay at the reserve and work?" They had so many details to work out she realized.

"Nah, they call it field work, I'll just be working on the fly so to speak. I would follow you anywhere lady."

He grinned again, reaching for her breast. He thumbed her nipple and she gasped. Then he took his other hand and grabbed her arse squeezing her firmly against his body.

"Charlie! The wedding is tomorrow!" She swatted his hand, before allowing him to kiss her neck and she continued.

"We have to get going! Aren't we going to try the last two places? I need to be back by 4:00, before the rehearsal dinner." She leaned her neck further back for him to have better access.

He drug his teeth down towards her collarbone nipping her gently while he pinched her nipple roughly.

"Not a problem. Plenty of time." He kissed along her body until he reached his finger, swapping it for his tongue, and she felt his warm mouth enclose her.

Gods! Her resolve was almost gone, and she reached out for his firm dick.

There was nothing quite like morning wood on a man. The strength of his desire turned her on. It was heavenly.

She vaguely thought about the wrath she'd receive from Draco, if she were late, before pushing it to the back of her mind and just letting herself fucking feel for once.

She kissed him desperately and pulled her body up to straddle him rubbing her breasts against his chest, her nipples firmly against his.

She moaned when he pressed his dick against her wetness, slicking himself back and forth before he entered her.

She was quite sore, this was the most sex she'd ever had in her whole life, but the slight pain made it even more satisfying somehow. Is this how it would always be? This carnal desire, not being able to get enough of him, of his strong body, and his passions. She hoped so.

She rode him quickly, taking charge of their sex and focusing on the way his dick pressed against her g-spot. She slammed into him roughly to make him stroke just the right spot. He reached down to rub her clit, helping her along.

"You feel so good," he said with each thrust.

"I'm going to fuck you every day for the rest of my life." He continued to pound into her.

"I love you Hermione. Gods I'm going to come!"

She thrust down onto him, feeling the heat and pleasure building quickly.

"You're so hot, I want you so much." She felt herself about to come, "I love you! I love you! Fuck I love you!"

They rode out the last few moments of bliss before Charlie pulled her back down against him to rest.

The smile he gave her when she looked at him, almost made her heart burst out of her chest, and she knew it was mirrored onto her face as well. She couldn't contain her joy and she kissed him again.

"We've got to get going!" She teased, finally pulling her body off of the man.

"Alright, will you stay in my room when we get back to my parents' house?"

She paused pulling on her pants to look at him. Was he serious? She pulled them up the rest of the way before she responded. She had planned to spend the night there after the rehearsal dinner, because the following morning would be pure chaos.

"Charlie… you know how your parents are. They turn a blind eye for serious or engaged couples, but I just don't know how they would react to that sort of thing."

He grabbed her hand, "this is serious." The intensity in his eyes made her believe him, and her heart beat rapidly.

"Really?" She started to smile again before her anxieties reared their ugly heads. Her smile fell, "but that would be like declaring your intent… my intent… and it's only been a week and I just think, I mean it's so soon."

He stood up and took her other hand as well, squeezing her hands a few times in reassurance.

"It's not too soon. I know how I feel about you. If it's too much pressure for you, don't worry about it, but it's not too soon."

He kissed her softly, "and I do have intentions."

He hugged her tightly.

"You can think about it." He said again, whispering in her ear. Then he squeezed her hands one more time before turning to get dressed.

"The next two places won't take more than a few hours. I'll have you back long before 4:00."

"Okay." She said nervously. Charlie's admissions still playing out in her mind.

He left her to pack while he took care of the dragons and cleaned up their camp.

When she was alone she started to panic again.

How would that even go? Staying in his room at The Burrow. She couldn't even imagine! She had never even done that when she was dating Ron! That would be like saying, "Hello Arthur and Molly, I'm banging your son. No not that one, your other one. I like to bang all of your sons. Thank goodness you have so many sons. I am a cheap harlot for hire."

She could just imagine the surprise on everyone's faces, the questions, "but you barely know him, are you crazy? Are you going through a quarter life crisis? Is this because no one else will date you? Jeez Hermione are you a slag?"

Gah! It sounded awful. Just awful. Not to mention what George would have to say! The countless jokes and innuendos. And Ron!

"I thought I meant something to you Hermione! How could you? He's my brother!"

The betrayal cut deep. Ron would probably cry, maybe he would even hate her. She couldn't have her best friend hate her!

She realized she was spiraling again. Relax Hermione, you and Ron dated for two months, 5 years ago. He will be fine. You could barely even kiss each other because it was too weird, you had sex one time. Get a mother fucking grip.

She finished packing and calmed herself. She didn't have to decide now. She could figure it out when she got there. This was future Hermione's problem. This calmed her down quite a bit and she focused back on all the joy again. This was the first time she had felt this good about a man in years, maybe ever, and she was going to enjoy it damn it.

—

Once camp was packed, the morning sped along nicely. The two dragons seemed to be quite friendly and it prompted Hermione to ask, "Charlie, how does a dragon choose its mate?"

"How does anyone choose their mate?" He grinned at her while she climbed atop Typhoon.

"Compatibly, attraction, friendship, love…"

She looked back at him, "so you think they are like humans in that area? Many magical creatures only come together for reproductive purposes, I thought dragons might be similar."

"From what I've seen on the reserve, they're quite choosy before they mate, and they don't seem to mate with more than one dragon, which makes me believe they mate for life."

The dragons took off into the sky, Deathclaw leading the way, with Typhoon close behind.

The dragons slowed once they were high enough, and allowed their companions to hear one another.

"Where are we going now?" She asked.

"It doesn't really have a name. It's sort of a collection of older single dragons that have created a community together. They come and go, but we see a lot of individuals without familial groups there."

"That's sort of sad. Do you think they all once had families?"

"Maybe. Many have been injured and spent time on the reserve before leaving to come here. They were affected from the war too. Before that law was overturned, dragon killing was a recreational activity. Much like hunting."

Hermione calmed her anger at this news. Now was not the time for her to go off on her vegetarian agenda.

"That's horrible. Do you really think she'll be there?"

"Honestly… it's unlikely, but I'm hopeful."

Her heart dropped. She had to prepare herself for the fact that Draco was right. The mother dragon was probably dead. She sighed.

"What's the last place we're going after that?"

"Well, let's just check out this place first and then we'll see if we even need to worry about it." He was being evasive.

Deathclaw flew a bit faster and Hermione was left trying to catch up. Why was he avoiding that answer? Did she want to push this? She'd find out eventually she supposed, if they needed to go there.

Before she knew it they landed. The lush green hillside was breathtaking. There were trees all along the hill and the sun shone at the top, bathing them all in natural light. She loved it here.

"Charlie this is beautiful!" She smiled at him.

"I know. I can see why they've come here. It's so peaceful." He took her hand and they slowly walked toward the hill.

"Will they be upset by our presence?" She noticed him carrying the dragon hide leather jackets.

"Maybe. They're content, and they're lazy, but if we disturb them too much, they'll retaliate."

Her nerves bubbled at the thought.

When they were close enough to the hill she saw them. They were quite… fat? She had never seen an overweight dragon before. I guess their leisurely lifestyle on the hill was taking its toll.

"Charlie why are they so…"

"Gluttonous?" He laughed.

"Well yes…"

"They deserve it after their rough lives. They're tired of fighting, so they mostly laze about on this hill in the sun. The trimmer ones get food for the group."

"But don't they exercise? I thought dragons loved to fly."

"Most of the group have been significantly injured at one point in time. When they're at the reserve they receive ointments and potions to help with their arthritis and other ailments but out here they're left to their own devices and many deal with chronic pain, so they barely exercise."

"Shouldn't you bring them back to the reserve? Or I don't know, bring the potions out here to help them?"

"We don't have the man power to do that, and do they look upset?"

She glanced at the happy dragons basking in the sun, "no, no they don't."

"They live peaceful lives out here. We don't think it's necessary to take them away, when they're so happy."

Hermione was skeptical. She was sure this would affect their lifespan but she didn't say anything. She mentally added it to her notes to think about later. Maybe she could figure out a solution when she had more time. She was getting excited at all the things she wanted to research for this book. Her mind raced with all the possibilities and how many things she was desperate to find out about. She mentally added more and more contacts to get in touch with as well. This was going to be quite fun.

—

The first two dragons they approached didn't even wake from their slumbers. The were lying belly up toward the sun and Hermione had to lean past their heads to check their shoulders for the marking from Gringotts. It was a bit scary when her head was right by the dragon's mouth but Hermione held her breath and looked quickly. No luck.

She noticed immediately all the scars, and missing scales, and crooked limbs on the dragons. Like they hadn't healed correctly from whatever they had been through. She was glad they were living peaceful lives now at least.

Hermione approached a few more when Charlie called for her.

She slowly crept towards him, keeping her front towards the awake dragons that were eyeing her with gentle curiosity.

"What's going on?" She asked him quickly, trying not to be nervous by the cluster of dragons on their feet a few yards away.

"Do you see that one in the middle? The burley one with the plump red tail?"

She tried to discern which burley one he was talking about because as far as she was concerned they were all burley. She noticed the red on the tail of one towards the center.

"Yes I think so."

"Right so I'm going to need you to distract him and his friends while I get a blood sample."

"Excuse me, a what?!"

"A blood sample."

"Why on EARTH do you need a blood sample?" She asked, eyeing the group of male dragons.

"How on EARTH do you even get a blood sample?" She continued.

Charlie chuckled, "not easily." He looked in his pouch for some supplies.

"And how exactly should I distract them?" She pondered.

He pulled the dragon hide onto his body, and pointed for her to do the same. She complied immediately.

She noticed the foot long needle in Charlie's hand.

"Um please tell me you're not going to poke that poor dragon with that long needle?"

"How else do you suggest to get through the rough dragon hide?" He asked her, perplexed.

"I DON'T suggest you get through the dragon hide. That poor creature has been through enough." He tied her hair back with the leather tie again, kissing her cheek and swatting her arse for good measure.

"Protego." He spoke, casting a good shield around her body.

"Charlie, look, I'm not sure I'm strictly comfortable, pissing off a group of wild dragons, can't you distract and I get the blood sample?"

"You haven't been trained. Look I'll be as quick as I can. Just don't stay in one spot too long." With that he hurried a wide berth around the group.

She knew dragon blood was extremely useful, but she was confused why Charlie would need it when he had a reserve full of dragons where he could obtain a sample easily.

The dragon on the end blew fire into the air.

"Oh boy," She thought.

They were getting agitated. She moved closer, wand out, just in case.

"Hello dragons," She spoke like a dumbass.

She heard Charlie laugh in the distance. "Motherfucker," she thought.

The dragons eyed her with interest. Charlie crept closer in the back.

"Lovely day isn't it. Just lovely." She noticed Charlie reaching for his wand.

"I just love your home. My name is Hermione. Although some magical creatures call me Hermy."

They roared fire into the air. Oh dear. She jumped aside just as one blew fire towards her.

"You don't have to call me Hermy, perhaps that's too informal."

The one on the end started to walk closer to her and she scrambled back a few more feet.

Charlie said a spell and the middle dragon noticed him for the first time. He roared angrily but couldn't rotate his body as Charlie had paralyzed his legs briefly.

"Keep going Hermione! I'm almost done!"

The dragons started to turn towards Charlie. Hermione panicked.

"EYYY YIE YIE YIE, YOO HOO! Lazy dragons! Look at me!" She danced a jig out in the middle, closer to the dragons again and they turned towards her, taking their attention away from Charlie again.

They collectively roared and started to advance on her, lazily overtaking the distance she had put between them.

"Charlie! We have got to go!" She shouted, before she turned to run towards Typhoon, sprinting like she never had before. Her lower back got scorched from the nearest of the lot and she hurriedly spelled, "augamenti!" Pointing at the flames on her body below the dragon hide jacket.

God damn motherfucking dragons. She cursed them when she was far enough away. She sat in the dirt, catching her breath.

Charlie strolled up to her carrying a needle full of dragon's blood.

"Are you okay?" He approached her, pulling some salve from his knapsack.

"The dragons tried to kill me, thank you very much. Distraction indeed." She scoffed at him while he rubbed the salve below her shirt.

"Sorry about that." He grinned sheepishly at her.

"I knew they were lazy and slow enough not to be too life threatening."

"You've got a death wish Charlie Weasley. Why in Merlin's name did you need that blood sample."

"Just a hunch," he replied, giving her a quick kiss on her lips.

"We've got to go. It's almost 1:00."

Damnit he was right. She stood up slowly.

"Please don't ever do that to me again. Next time I'll transfigure a little dog or something to distract them."

—

They flew to the last stop quickly, luckily it wasn't too far from The Burrow, because Hermione was starting to panic at the time. She hoped the mother dragon was here, wherever they were! This was the end of their rope, and she desperately wanted the baby dragon to be set free. She just felt like she needed this accomplishment to feel like she was doing the right thing.

They landed near a couple of shopping buildings and a bar. Hermione felt confused. Why were they here? Why could the dragon possibly be here? This was nowhere? This was…

And then she saw it. The sign read: Rough Hide Leathers.

"Charlie!" She felt her anxiety flaring up in her chest.

"Why are we here?" She asked him.

"We need to know Hermione. We need to know if she's here."

Hermione didn't want to go inside. She didn't want the dragon to be here. This was horrible. She was a vegetarian for Merlin's sake. A vegetarian shouldn't go into a leather shop. This was just cruel and unusual punishment! The dragon couldn't be here. She just couldn't!

She understood the need for Dragon leather. It was extremely useful, and there was an embargo on illegally obtained leather. The dragons had to have died out in the wild for the shop to receive the hides, and this shop had a monopoly on all of the European dragons.

She gripped Charlie's hand tightly as they walked inside.

Charlie spoke to the shop owner in hushed tones. Hermione was fuming, thinking about every place they'd looked before here. There had to be somewhere else they could look! Maybe she was just lost somewhere. Maybe she was by herself, lost, and abandoned out in the wild and they would never find her.

The shop owner showed Charlie the meticulous record book of all the dragons. Photos and detailed notes about which ones were brought into the shop to be made into leather.

He flipped the pages quickly, and she begged him to keep flipping, to keep turning the pages until they ran out. There had to be some mistake.

But he stopped. Close to the end, but he stopped. He read all the details more than once, she could tell he was avoiding the reality, he was avoiding turning around and telling her.

Finally he turned and looked at her. His eyes were sad, and disappointed. She walked over and pulled the book towards her. She looked at the picture, she matched the Gringotts mark, she remembered how she looked. It was her.

"When?" She asked the shop owner.

"A few months ago." Was all he said.

She ran then, sprinting out of the shop, and down the hill, and into Typhoon's body. Her tears streamed down her face and the angry sobs were muffled by her dragon's side. She screamed out into the sky! She was so angry! Why did this happen? Why didn't she set up her bank accounts 6 months ago? She would have had a 6 month head start! They would have found her, and saved her, and reunited her with her baby. It would have made a difference then. If only she hadn't researched stocks so much, or her pension plan. She had spent so long checking everything. She took too fucking long!

This was her fault! She wasn't quick enough. She hadn't been prepared. This wasn't right.

Charlie put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I didn't want it to be this way. I hoped she wasn't there. I'm so sorry."

"Why did you do this?" She shouted at him.

"What?" He looked confused and sad.

"Why didn't you bring me here first? What was the point of this entire FUCKING journey? You knew she would be here! Why did you take me to those other places Charlie! Why didn't you bring me here first?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she would be here. It was a possibility, but I really thought she would be in the Lair or by the Borealis. I wanted you to see those other places first."

"This was a complete waste of my time. This was a farce, so you could what? Get me to fall in love with you? Write a book for you? Follow you around while you chased after dragons?"

"No Hermione. It wasn't like that." She could see the anger come into his eyes as she yelled at him, as she accused him.

"The truth is, it doesn't matter who the fuck it was does it? It doesn't matter that it's me? It could have been anyone! You don't care about me. You don't love me! YOU LOVE THE IDEA OF ME! You love the idea of someone being passionate about what you're passionate about, traveling with you while you work, their whole life being about you and your dragons. I can't believe I entertained the idea of dropping my whole life for you! For some silly fantasy that doesn't exit!"

He grabbed her hand.

"Let go of me Charlie!"

He grabbed her other hand, begging her to look into his eyes.

"You know that's not true! Hermione I have had feelings for you for years. I have wanted you for years. You KNOW IT'S NOT TRUE! I want you! I desire you! I love you!"

"Let go of me." She glared past him, not even looking at his face. Refusing to see what expression he wore with those honest eyes. She couldn't deal with that right now! She couldn't deal with him right now, she was too upset, and it was time for her to go.

He let go of her, backing up a step.

She turned toward her dragon, wiping the tears from her face.

"This isn't over Hermione. I'm not going to lose you."

She didn't respond. Instead she mounted her dragon and took off into the sky. She had to get out of there. She was so angry! How dare he! How dare he make her fall in love with him! How dare he take her to all those places and lure her into a completely unreasonable lifestyle, for a completely unrealistic man, and a completely terrible career change.

She could see The Burrow below her, and she began her descend.


	9. The Burrow

Hermione was nervous as she landed. Turns out there was quite the crowd gaping at her arrival on this strange dragon by herself. Bollocks she would have to explain this wouldn't she?

What would she even say? Oh sorry you lot, I've just devastated your brother, here I am to ignore my feelings and fake happiness at a wedding. He's perfectly fine! He hates me in fact. Damn if I don't hate myself a little bit. She mused.

Oh yes, your brother? We ended on great terms. No heartbreak here!

They would see right through her, maybe they would even kick her out of the wedding. She could just see it now, Molly Weasley screaming for justice, George looking on in disappointment, Ron cursing, and Harry Potter's disgust as he said, "you've ruined my wedding, you're no friend of mine."

She started biting her nails as she dismounted.

She met the crowd with a passive expression. Maybe she could just ignore this until a later date. Her favorite thing was to avoid all her actual problems, just shove them right aside. Ginny of course was first.

"Hermione! Oh Merlin! Whose dragon is that? Where is my brother?" She hugged her quickly.

"Blimey Mione! I can't believe you're riding a dragon by yourself! This one looks a bit dodgy, are you sure you're alright?"

Oh Ron. "Of course I'm alright. Typhoon is the most well behaved dragon I've ever encountered. She's my new familiar in fact. I'll take it to you, to treat her with some respect."

Ron grinned at her answer. He waited for her to elaborate, his eyes searched hers as if he knew there was something she wasn't telling them. What most people didn't know about Ron was that he was very perceptive. She avoided eye contact. Ginny pulled her aside.

"Is Charlie coming? Do you want to explain how in Merlin's name you acquired a dragon? Did Charlie Imperio you? Charlie is quite persuasive when he wants to be." She winked at Hermione then.

She was annoyed. This had nothing to do with Charlie actually. She loved Typhoon, and this was all kismet, nothing to do with any dragon tamers, thank you very much. This was her own ballsy decision making. She was a bold, dynamic lady of course.

Why couldn't her oldest friends see this? Had she always been this way? No. But she was now, leaning into the fear so to speak, and this week had changed her irrevocably. She felt stifled by stupid cautious Hermione's past. Like she was fighting herself. She was the enemy. The enemy that made terrible decisions and caused only heartbreak.

Everyone was staring at her. She started to feel the panic creeping toward once again.

She whispered to Ginny, "I'd really rather not talk about this right now. Can't you do something." She looked at her friend with crazy desperate eyes.

"Say no more I'll handle it," Ginny whispered back, before shouting to the group, "Oi you lot! Mind your business until after the wedding, got it!" She hooked arms with Hermione and led her away with their heads held high leaving the boys perplexed on the lawn.

"You know, I really could have done that myself," Hermione responded in an exasperated tone. Ginny laughed.

She rushed Hermione up to the room they would be sharing. She shut the door and motioned for her to sit.

"Well?" She asked.

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it right now."

"Oh pish posh. Are you okay? Do I need to kick my brother's arse or what?"

"I'm fine. Charlie is fine. Everything is fine."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You are a terrible liar."

"Gah, Ginny. Look, this is really NOT what I want to focus on right now okay! I have to shower, and write a speech apparently."

"It's just that… you look… sort of sad to be quite honest. And we were expecting Charlie to be with you. I didn't even clear out space in my closet because we all figured you would be bunking with him."

"You all figured I would be staying in Charlie's room? Your parents figured I would be sleeping with Charlie?"

Hermione was dumbfounded.

"Well yes, we figured you both would be together. Mum was just a bit excited…"

Hermione sighed. She had disappointed everyone, which was literally her worst fear in life. Not to mention the big fat failure that was the whole experience anyway.

"The dragon is dead." Hermione bluntly told her.

Ginny frowned at her friend, "Okay, we knew that was a possibility. You knew that was likely right? What happened with Charlie? And how did you end up with a dragon familiar? Harry said you had a soft spot for her when he came back, but where on earth will you keep her?"

"I'll have to get a new flat." Hermione grabbed her robe from her bag and began to undress. She used her wand to accio her shampoo and Ginny gasped!

"Hermione! What on earth is on your thighs? Get naked! Let me see."

Hermione pulled her robe tighter.

"I think enough Weasley's have seen me naked, thanks."

"You have tattoos like Charlie!"

"Yes, it turns out there is a lot we don't know about dragons and this is one of them, I got them saving the dragons from the ring."

"So, you're really keeping her then? But Charlie is not coming to the wedding… because?"

"Yes. I'm keeping her. And Charlie… well I doubt he'll speak to me ever again actually."

"Why? Charlie has held a torch for you for years. What happened?"

"He has not liked me for years. He liked the idea of me. I expect. I'm almost certain. Honestly he would be shacked up with any reasonably attractive dragon tamer, researcher, or medic. I was convenient, and his family already liked me. So yeah, I'd really rather not be someone somebody settles for. Especially because he has some idea about who I am, when really I'm not that way at all. It's a fantasy Ginny."

Hermione finished getting her supplies for the shower and then crossed her arms.

"You sound really certain." Ginny responded.

"Yes well, it's done. Now I'll go back to my normal life, and job. I have better things to do. Nobody even organized the trivia night did they?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Are you under the impression that we need you to micromanage our lives? That we need you to plan all our social engagements and organize our activities or we will all fall apart? You don't need to stay here for us. I love you Hermione but you can be really overbearing sometimes. Why would you ever let your friends dictate your life?"

Hermione huffed at her, "I do not let my friends dictate my life! I simply organize things because no one else will! I remind people of important things because I love you all and want you all to be successful. I'm not trying to be overbearing, in fact I've really been working on that."

They both laughed then, breaking up the tension. Ginny came over to hug her.

"Look Mione. I just don't want to see you throw away something great because you think we're all helpless without you. You deserve great things in your life too."

Hermione teared up at that.

"It's too late Ginny." She whispered through her tears, "I really bollocksed it up."

"I doubt it." Ginny responded. "Charlie is a good man." She patted Hermione's shoulder and left her to her shower.

—

Hermione was not prepared for her speech. All through her shower she tried desperately to think of what she would say.

"Webster's Dictionary defines marriage as... Okay, forget that! That sucks!"

"Harry and Draco started out as mortal enemies…"

Wrong way to go.

"I checked for the imperious curse when he told me…"

All wrong.

"Draco is a lovely person…"

Disingenuous.

Grr! She was just going to have to wing this and worst of all Ginny's words kept echoing through her mind, "overbearing."

"Charlie's a good man."

Well she already knew that. Of course he was a good man. Of course she was overbearing. The question was, what was she going to do about it.

In truth she was panicking about actually going through with it all, even if Charlie could forgive her. And that was a big IF. Could she actually, in reality, quit her job? Could she actually have faith that her and Charlie would work out? She honestly didn't think she could go through with it. The unknown was just so stressful to her. She would have no plan. She would be jumping off the deep end. Not even the deep end. She would be jumping off a cliff.

She sighed and put on her shoes. She surveyed herself in the mirror. She looked so sensible, lovely she supposed, but just sensible. She didn't even like this dress. The color, the cut, the fabric, everything about it was just boring. So plain. So average.

Hermione Granger wasn't average. Then she whipped out her wand and started making alterations.

"I'm really rather tired of settling for average things." She told herself in the mirror.

—

George wolf whistled when she approached the group.

Draco eyed her with approval, and something else, almost a knowing smirk on his face. Harry looked flabbergasted.

"Mione!" He rushed up to hug her, "are you trying to get me to change my mind? Run off with the best woman yeah? How would that look?" He winked.

She swatted him and kissed his cheek.

"Are you okay?" He whispered in her ear.

"I'm fine. I don't wish to talk about it now though. Let's celebrate you. It's your night."

"Don't you mean our night?" Draco drawled, as he air kissed her.

"How could I forget groomzilla?" Hermione teased.

"I assume you must be speaking of some other groom. I have been nothing but lovely during this experience."

Draco leaned in, "you look great Granger, and I don't mean the dress."

She held out her arm for him, "thanks Draco," she emphasized his first name.

He rolled his eyes, "Hermione."

"Are you prepared with your speech."

Hermione cleared her throat nervously.

"Hermione."

"Yes. Of course. All set."

"Blaise has a back up speech. Does Blaise NEED his back up speech." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Um. Maybe. No. Of course not?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"Draco it's fine! He doesn't need his back up speech. I am perfectly capable of sharing about your love with Harry."

"Yes well, you've been distracted. And you're avoiding telling everyone about your little adventure. How'd you fuck it all up anyway?"

She swatted him.

"You're such a gossip. I didn't 'fuck it up' as you say. Well okay, maybe I did fuck it up a little but I was in emotional turmoil. I imagine you realize the dragon was dead after all."

"Obviously." He drawled.

"Gah you sound like Snape."

"I miss that man."

"Yes, he was such a dear." She sarcastically replied, and Draco laughed.

"So what's the problem, couldn't control your temper? Too stubborn to apologize?"

"Pot. Kettle. Black." She responded.

"As if Granger. I've taken anger management classes. I no longer rise to any theatrics."

"You lost your shite, mere days ago. You should go get a refund from those classes."

"Yes well, at least I now tolerate Ron. And you." He teased.

"I'm so happy for you both, you know." She looked at him fondly.

He smiled at her, a real smile that met his eyes, and crinkled the corners.

"Me too."

They walked into the rehearsal area. The rehearsal went off without a hitch, Draco gave Harry an amusingly chaste kiss, to which everyone booed, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the happy couple. Seeing them together brought joy to everyone, and Hermione felt tears at the corner of her eyes.

She sat down at the table, and quickly switched around the name tags. Ah yes, Ginny on one side, and hmm, begrudgingly she moved Percy's name next to hers. Ron she sat across the table next to Draco. She did not want to talk about her relationship troubles and he kept looking at her like he was going to pounce.

This was the best solution she could come up with to avoid the issue. Her new life's mantra: avoid at all costs.

Harry walked up to her.

"Did you switch around the name tags?" He asked with a smile.

Hermione gave him a sheepish grin, "just maximizing my chance for a stress free event."

"Draco will be pissed, you know. You sat Ron next to him." Harry smiled at the thought.

"Have they made up from the whole jersey incident?"

"Oh yes, there was booze involved, of course. Draco ordered him custom jerseys, and Ron took an unbreakable oath never to bring Draco to a strip club again. Everything is great. Perfect now that you're here in fact."

Hermione smiled at him, and he summoned her favorite drink: Gin with lemon.

Ginny sat next to her while Harry went to find his groom.

"Interesting table arrangement, she eyed Percy's place holder."

"Yes we'll I figured we could talk about the ministry. Or laws. Or books."

"Yes, you will need more Gin. Are you planning on boring yourself completely tonight?" She said, summoning the bottle.

"Stop me when I start making Gin/ Ginny jokes. It never ends well for me when I get amused at the booze."

Hermione laughed at her friend and clinked her glass in agreement.

They sipped their cocktails while they watched the grooms dance on the dance floor. They looked so genuinely happy, that it made Hermione's heart hurt.

"Ugh! Isn't it the worst when people are so fucking happy?"

"Oh hush. I know you're thrilled for them. Isn't your new boyfriend coming to the wedding tomorrow?"

"Yes, but he's just a good lay. Nothing serious. Now tell me about you and Charlie, but leave out the dirty stuff. I'll never recover."

Hermione sighed, "don't make me move your place card."

Ginny grinned, but didn't drop it, she pulled out a piece of parchment from her purse.

"I found this while you were showering."

"What is it?" Hermione grabbed for the parchment.

"It's a letter I saved from 5th year. You were in 6th and it was during the whole Lavender/Ron fiasco."

Hermione started to read, cringing when she thought back to that time in her life, "this is from Charlie?" She asked.

"Yes, mostly it's nonsense, but I thought you should read the part where he goes off on Ron for mistreating you."

Hermione skimmed it until close to the end:

I ought to curse him from here Ginny, he's a daft arsehole for not realizing what he has. I've never met anyone as enchanting and lovely as Hermione. He doesn't deserve someone so fierce. If he hurts her I will leave Romania and kick his arse. Tell him that from me. Knock some sense into the bastard yeah?

-Charlie

"This was…6 Year's ago? 7?"

"Yeah. I told you he's held a torch for you. I don't think he's been serious about anyone really. I just thought you should see this to know that it's real. It's not a fantasy. Not for him."

Hermione started to bite her nails. Ginny left to go dance, and Percy was talking to her about legislation in the fiscal realm when Ron saw his opportunity.

"Mione! Come dance!" He pulled her away from Percy and set her drink on the table. Not giving her an out.

They danced for an hour without speaking. Hermione sometimes forgot how much fun he could be. She laughed while he spun her around, dipped her, and told jokes in her ear.

He took all the stress and anxiety off her shoulders and she was having a blast. Gods she really needed this. It was such a nice break from all the stress. She could almost forget about Charlie completely, except when Ron pulled her close for a slow song and Hermione burst into tears. She ran for the house.

Ron followed.

Hermione sat on the sofa and Ron sighed as he sat next to her.

"I know you don't want to talk about it Mione, so I won't push you. I just want to say a few things and you can take it or leave it yeah?"

"Alright." He handed her a handkerchief.

"Do you remember when I joined the Aurors? And how they separated me from Harry for training?"

"Yes. Of course. Harry almost quit because everyone were stuck up pricks with hero worship. He hated being in that other training class."

"Well what you don't know was that I asked for them to separate us."

"Why? He's your best friend."

"I hated being in his shadow. Here I was, part of the golden trio, helped bring down Voldemort, and everyone just looked at me like Harry's charity case. You know how I feel about that Mione. I couldn't go through training like that."

She nodded.

"So I worked harder than anyone in my group, hours before work, hours after work, in the field, paperwork, everything! I decided no one was holding me back but myself. I was in charge of my lot in life. You know?"

Hermione motioned for him to continue.

"There was one part I couldn't get right though. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't beat the obstacle course. I must have attempted it over 50 times and I just couldn't beat it. There were two parts that tripped me up. One was this long beam in the air, thinner than a broomstick, you had to balance on it while fighting an opponent. I was too focused on the opponent or I was too focused on the balancing. I couldn't manage to multitask. 9/10 times I'd fall or be blasted by the dummy. But the 1 time out of 10 that I bested him, I'd get to the next room and find a boggart."

Hermione nodded her head in understanding, the boggarts oftentimes got to her too.

"I was afraid. Afraid of failing. Afraid of falling. Afraid of being second best for the rest of my life. It was holding me back."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked him earnestly.

"Because I see it happening to you too. I've watched you settle Hermione. At your job, in your relationships, and with your passions. When was the last time you didn't hold back from fear? When was the last time you took on truly inspiring work. I haven't seen passionate Hermione since the war. When was the last time you allowed yourself to be interested in a man?

You're scared all the time. You throw all your effort into mundane work, battling your opponents to get equal rights for magical creatures, but you forget the balance. You're afraid of falling in love, of the risk, and not being good enough. You're afraid to put yourself out there, you're afraid of what happens if you fail and if you fall."

The tears started streaming down her face.

"How did you pass the training?" She asked through the tears.

"I accepted my fears. I sat myself down and thought about what would happen if I didn't pass the training. You know what I discovered? It wasn't the end of the world. There were other things I could do. I could work at the joke shop with George. I could apply for an internship in the magical sports division. I could go to magical cooking school, you know I make a mean banoffee pie."

He grinned at her then.

"It wasn't the end of the world if I failed. I started to see my struggles as opportunities, to learn something, to grow as a person. To adapt. I firecalled Luna. She got me enrolled in her aerial yoga acrobatic class."

Hermione giggled at the thought.

"Suddenly the beam wasn't so challenging, I was confident, I began having fun, and now I only failed 1/10 times. Sometimes the boggart still got me, but mostly I could beat it. I'm telling you this, because I know you're meant for more Mione. Maybe Charlie is right for you, I don't know. You seem compatible to us, yeah, but only you both know that. I just want to make sure you're not holding yourself back from good things."

She hugged him tightly.

"Thanks Ron."

He helped her up.

Blaise walked in, "Granger, Draco is freaking out. Do you want me to give the speech?"

Hermione wiped her tears, and let out a giggle.

"No Blaise, that's quite alright. We're coming now."

"You look hot tonight."

Ron glared at him.

"Thank you Blaise."

They followed him back out to the dinner table, where the meal had begun for the toasts and the speeches.

—

"When I heard Harry was marrying Draco, I wasn't surprised. I'm sure most of you were shocked." She paused while the table laughed.

"But I was not surprised. I took him straight to Diagon Ally to try on tuxedos. And I made Draco promise not to have Slytherin green as one of his wedding colors. Notice all the silver."

More laugher.

"I've heard a lot about Draco through the years. In fact I'd venture a guess that I've heard more about Draco through the years than anyone. Harry has always been passionate about Draco.

When I saw them together for the first time as a couple, was the moment I knew how Draco felt about Harry. He never spoke the words 'I love Harry' out loud. In fact he mostly still antagonized me at first, but it was there if you knew where to look.

I saw the joy in Harry's eyes as he held his hand at dinner. I heard the laughter as they both told inside jokes, and I saw the passion they felt for one another. By the way always announce yourself when you firecall them."

The group chuckled again.

"But that's not what convinced me of their love. It was the peace I felt radiating off of them. Peaceful was never a word, I used to describe Harry. Or Draco for that matter. So when I felt such peace in their presence together, I knew. I knew that they would get married. I think we all deserve to feel that peace with someone and I'm so glad that my best friend found it. I am privileged to add, that I now have 3 best friends. And just because I've never said it before. I love you Draco Malfoy and I couldn't be happier you're marrying Harry."

The table erupted in applause and Hermione saw Draco wipe a tear off his cheek.

The group toasted the boys and more people stood up to give speeches.

The food was delicious, there was hours more of dancing, and Hermione felt so much joy, except for one small place in her heart.


	10. The wedding

Hermione was anxious the entire morning. She half expected Charlie to show up for the wedding and she was extremely disappointed when he did not.

She guessed she would have to firecall him later and apologize, if he would even speak to her after her dramatic exit. She still didn't know what to say to the man. She panicked just thinking about it. What would he say to her? I hate you! You're despicable, why would I ever want to be with you!

She could just hear his voice in her head, telling her all the many things that were wrong with her. She was too brainy. She was exhausting. She never knew when to leave well enough alone. She was a meddler, she was a know-it-all, and she bored people to tears.

She was thrilled for Harry and Draco, but she couldn't separate herself from all the emotion building up inside her. There was something about two of her best friends finding eternal happiness that made her quite melancholy as well. She was one of the few that hadn't managed to find someone over the years and when she looked around at all the happy couples, her heart sank in her chest. She would never have this.

The Potter-Malfoys were officially wed and everyone was dancing except her, unless your counted Aunt Murial. She got herself another drink, this was her third, and prepared to wallow in her misery all night, when Draco walked up.

"You look pathetic you know."

"Ah Draco. You always know just what to say to make me feel better." She lifted her drink in a mock 'cheers.'

"Are you here to ask me to dance?" She asked him.

"Merlin no! You're a terrible dancer." He sat down next to her.

"Well thanks for that. Did you know there are 23 different ways to say failure in German?"

"Hermione. I came over here to talk some sense into you."

"Oh I see. Well Ronald and Ginny already beat you to it." She sipped her drink again.

"As always, they did a stellar job." Malfoy mused taking her drink from her and taking a sip.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Did Harry ever tell you about how we started dating?" Draco asked.

"He said he harassed you at work, until you agreed to go out with him."

"Yes, well that's the short version."

Hermione was interested as he summoned some champagne, before he continued.

"It was the Tuesday after I started at the ministry. I assume he heard I got the position from you?" He questioned her.

She nodded.

"He walked straight into my office without even knocking, I'll add, it was quite rude. He was carrying two coffee cups. One I assume was ladled with sugar like that drivel he normally drinks, and one that smelled distinctively like cinnamon which, of course, is my secret ingredient to the perfect cup. How he knew how I took my coffee, made no difference.

'Would you like to have coffee with me?' He asked, not even bothering to say good morning or hello, annoying as ever. I replied, 'no.' Then the cheeky bastard sat right down across from me and preceded to drink MY cup of coffee that he got for me.

He doesn't even like cinnamon I know now. I didn't respond, I just watched him drink the whole cup of coffee, refusing to show any emotion on my face.

Then I noticed on the cup was my name written in his awful handwriting. My name with a tiny black heart next to it. When he was finished, he threw the empty cup away, and took his own cup with him and he left, without even saying goodbye, I'll add. Rude.

The whole thing was annoying. My perfect cup of coffee. The tiny heart. Him sitting there with that mischievous grin on his face, watching me watch him drink the beverage. I was determined not to acknowledge it in any way. I would not give him the satisfaction of getting underneath my skin. So a week passed without another incident."

Draco paused to drink some of his champagne. Hermione was enthralled with the story.

"I thought that was the end of it, but then the very next Tuesday morning, he walked back in my office. Same to go coffee cup. Same heart. Same, 'would you like to have coffee with me?' Same, 'no.' Same stupid grin on his face while he drank my favorite drink, right in front of me.

So it continued, every Tuesday for a month. I had not shouted even once. I stared him down with a passive expression, while he tried to get a rise out of me. But I would not give him the satisfaction! The last Tuesday that month something changed. He began talking to me while he drank my favorite drink, right in front of me.

He told me about you, and Ron, and the Weasley's. He told me about his job, his renovations at Grimmauld Place. I didn't give him any acknowledgments or response. He talked the entire time he drank the coffee and then he left.

Well this was something for me to ponder. I spent hours thinking about these little meetings, and what they meant, and why he was doing this, and why in Merlin's name he drew that tiny little heart, which I'm sure was the whole point.

Then the very next day, a Wednesday, in walked Harry around 2:00 in the afternoon. What was the meaning of this, I wondered? This was when I typically enjoyed an afternoon snack.

He was carrying biscuits this time. But not just any biscuits. Cardamom biscuits, which of course are my favorite biscuits, that no one ever gets right. So I've stopped bothering to buy them. But these biscuits smelled perfect. Just the right hint of spicy sweetness. They looked homemade, which gave me pause, because where on earth did he get them? Did Harry Potter know how to make perfect cardamom biscuits from scratch? Did he employ someone else to make these special biscuits that he knew were my favorite? Why would he do this, I wondered?

'Would you like a biscuit Draco?' He asked me. My eyes may have widened at his use of my first name, but I quickly pulled back my mask of indifference. 'No.' I responded passively. So he began to eat the biscuits while he continued to tell me all about his life. What he had done following the war, and about the rebuilding at Hogwarts. Which I was not at all interested in, even though my bankroll had funded quite a bit of it. Then he left.

This threw me off a bit. Now I pondered, would the coffees stop? Would he be switching to Wednesday biscuits instead of Tuesday coffees? Would that little heart be gone forever? Should I just tell him to get the hell out of my office? I wasn't sure.

Suddenly there was a schedule. Every Tuesday with the coffees and that damn little heart that I pretended not to care about, and every Wednesday with the biscuits. It was so very annoying. I began to feel my resolve fall. Surely he would get bored of this eventually.

He did not. Next there was curry Thursday's. But not just any curry. The lamb vindaloo from the curry restaurant 8 blocks away. The lamb vindaloo that was always sold out when I tried to stop by after work. How did he get this curry? I started to stalk my office window around 11:00 every day, just watching the street that led to the restaurant. Sure enough, there was Potter strolling over to the curry restaurant for my favorite vindaloo. Did he even work during the day? I was unsure. But somehow he had time to walk 8 blocks both ways to order my favorite curry. Why didn't he apparate? These were the questions that plagued me.

'Would you like some curry Draco? I brought enough to share.' 'No.' I always said no. Nothing else.

Then came cocktail hour Fridays, right at the end of the day. Was it strictly allowed for Harry to be drinking at the ministry at 6:00 on a Friday evening? No, probably not, but Harry didn't care.

'Care for a drink Draco?' He asked me pouring out a glass of Ogden's finest firewhiskey, which also happened to be a very expensive bottle of Ogden's reserves that I was told were completely sold out. Must be nice to be the boy who lived. Not to mention I adored that particular bottle of Ogden's. It had hints of orange, clove, and dried fruit. No doubt Potter couldn't discern these flavors.

'No' I responded again. Like I always did, and even though I was tempted, I held my resolve.

This continued for six months. I could not believe it. Six months of nearly every day, Harry Potter coming in my office to tempt me into drinks, food, and conversation. I learned about his family. His childhood. His realization that he was a bisexual. His dating experience. His hopes. His dreams. His regrets. He never even tried to bait me with questions. No 'oh by the way, are you gay Draco?' No, 'are you seeing anyone Draco?' Just him. His world and his life that he wanted to share with me of all people.

And the only thing that I cared about, that started to bother me, no, started to drive me absolutely insane was… where was he on Monday's? Why did he never come visit me on Mondays? What did he have to do on Mondays damnit?"

"That's when he sees Teddy." Hermione added, looking at Draco wistfully.

"Well yes. I know that now. So six months of this song and dance before I finally had it. Before I finally responded. Before I finally had enough of this one way, odd little courtship ritual he was performing.

That final Tuesday morning six months to the day that he had first visited me. He walked in with the coffee and the heart and the, 'won't you share a coffee with me Draco?' And I just stood up and walked to the other side of my desk.

I took MY coffee out of his hand and I took a sip. Then I reached over and casually took his hand in mine, because Malfoy's are smooth like that. I held his hand the whole time I drank my very delicious coffee. And the smile on Harry's face, is one I'll never forget for the rest of my life.

I moved into Grimmauld Place three weeks later."

"Draco, that is so romantic." Hermione teared up at the last bit.

"I'm telling you this because that very first day he walked into my office with that cup of coffee with that fucking tiny heart on it, I knew. I knew I wanted to be with him. I knew he was it for me. That it would be forever and that it was permanent. I knew it and I ignored it because of the implication. I ignored it because Harry couldn't possibly feel the same way about me that I felt about him. Because it would change my life and not all of the changes would be welcome ones.

People like you and I need to be pushed into life changes. We get complacent. We get comfortable. We don't take the risks and we miss out. We miss out on so many wonderful and scary things because we know all the ways that it could all go wrong. My fear was what held me back, but your logic and anxiety is holding you back. Potter's persistence pushed me to say yes."

"Are you giving me permission to leave and go be with Charlie? To quit my job, abandon all my friends, and rent my flat. To go write a book on dragons that nobody probably even wants? To just go?"

"Yes I think I am." He sipped his champagne and crossed his legs.

"People are going to lose their shite." She smiled.

"I'm keeping Barnaby." He responded. Of course he was, Hermione grinned.

"Joint custody of the owl?" She teased.

Then she heard a roar of a dragon in the distance. Wait no. Two distinct roars from two different dragons.

She watched, as Charlie landed outside The Burrow with Deathclaw. The baby dragon from Gringott's was beside him.

—

It was simple really, the way she ran over to meet him. The way he pulled her to his chest and held her like he would never again let her go.

She reached up to grab his face, and kiss him, and she put all of her sorrow, into that kiss. She put all of her apologies and all of her regret, and all of her fear into the kiss. He kissed her back the same way. The way that told her everything would be alright, and he felt the same.

"Charlie." She breathed.

"Hermione." He kissed her again, like he couldn't stop kissing her and he wanted her to know that it wasn't just a fantasy, this was real life, this was all his love poured into her through this kiss and she felt it. She felt all of it. She cried then, noticing the way he held on so tightly, like he wanted to keep her forever. Gods she wanted him to keep her forever.

He pulled back to wipe her tears then he kissed her tears off her face, and looked at her with the most gentle expression that she had ever seen.

"I'm so sorry Charlie! I freaked out. It was so fast, and my feelings scared me, and I panicked. I always fucking panic. I have so much anxiety and emotion about things, that I never let myself do anything I truly want, because what if I fail, and what if we fail, and what if it ruins everything. I was holding back because I was so afraid. I love you, and I'm so sorry! I'm desperately sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you! I love you, you crazy woman. I told you before, I love you and I have intentions. You're it for me."

She hugged him back, not caring about the crowd gathered around them, and not caring about the fact that she was 'stealing their thunder.' All she wanted was to be with this man and she didn't care who saw. She saw Draco and Harry's smiles out of the corner of her eye.

"Charlie, What is the Gringotts' dragon doing here? I thought he would be stuck there forever. His mom is dead. There's no way for him to survive in the wild. How do you have him?"

"Well that's kind of a funny story. Remember when we went to that hill and I took the blood sample from that male dragon?"

"Yes. I thought that was extremely odd, not to mention you offering me up as bait." He chuckled at her.

Then continued, "I just had this feeling, the dragon was important and looked so familiar. I couldn't pinpoint why I felt like I needed to get that DNA sample, but something was telling me it was important. I ran the labs and that was it! Success!"

"What are you talking about," She asked him.

"It was the Dad! We found the Dad! The mother dragon was dead and usually it's always the mum that teaches the young about the wild. The Dad isn't usually involved, but I just knew it would work!"

"You're telling me that we found this baby's Father in the wild?"

"Yes! It was the tail that triggered it for me, I realized. They both have the same red tail, the DNA matched! We can reunite them, and the baby will learn from his father everything he needs to know, so that he will survive in the wild!"

"What? I've never heard of this! Are you sure it will be okay?"

"Of course! Men are just as capable as being nurturing caregivers and teachers to their children. He will be like a stay at home dad. I for one can't wait to see him rise to the occasion. They'll need a little help to get started, as his father really has put on quite a lot of weight. But I thought we could be there together to help them get settled. Then we could start the rest of the research tour for your book."

"You still want to go with me? After how I acted?"

"Of course Hermione. I work with dragons, a little angry witch won't scare me off. Have you met Ginny? I grew up with her. Bat boogy hexes galore."

She heard Ginny curse at him over in the corner.

Hermione smiled in his arms.

"Yes. That's exactly what I want. I love you so much Charlie. I've been miserable without you."

They kissed again. This was the beginning for them and Hermione couldn't be happier. She felt at peace for the first time in a long time.

—

The Epilogue will be published Monday!


	11. Epilogue

3 years later:

Hermione sat down on the the loveseat at Grimmauld place glancing over at the paint swatches on the wall.

"I like the middle blue. It's very Ravenclaw, don't you think? Looks quite homey for a living room."

"Of course you do. Because you have absolutely no taste. Did you pay her to agree with you Harry? Homey. Do I want my living room to look homey?"

Harry laughed, "when will you realize that I have much better taste than you do. Pastel blue in the sitting room. Honestly, I'm shocked."

"It's not pastel blue! It is dayflower blue! There is a very large difference!"

They had been arguing about the paint for 3 weeks. Hermione had been summoned all the way from Norway to settle the argument.

"Why don't you both find a compromise? Perhaps a nice taupe would go with the color scheme."

They both looked at her like she was mad.

"Why did we call her back again? Her aesthetic is abysmal. She lives in a hut in the countryside. She's probably forgotten what a sitting room even looks like."

"Draco! I'm sorry, my publisher has really been on my arse to finish the second installment. My editor is worthless, and won't let me start on my children's book, until the second installment is complete."

She grabbed one of her books they had lying around. Draco had bought over 30 copies when she was published:

Dragon Tattoos and Everything Else You Didn't Know About Dragons: Volume 1.

It was the first of three volumes she planned to publish, alongside a fictional novel for children which used Typhoon and Snowfall as the :

Snowfall and Typhoon's Twin Dragon Adventures

She was still working on the title. Her editor was really giving her a hard time about finishing the second book.

"Will you just call her Cho? It's bad enough that Draco calls her, 'she who must not be named' but now I have to hear you call her, 'my editor all the time.' It's rubbish. It's been 8 years for Merlin sake, can't we all just forgive her now."

Draco glared, "of course we can not forgive her! She is evil and must be destroyed."

"She's not evil," Hermione agreed with Harry, "she just doesn't believe in the Oxford comma and when I purposely leave mistakes in the manuscript, she doesn't always find them. She just gets mad at me later for 'testing' her. Well honestly, I'm not sure why I need an editor anyhow."

"You need an editor to be able to publish your book. She works for the largest magical publishing group in London. She was a Ravenclaw. She is perfectly capable of editing your story."

"I knew you still had the hots for her." Draco fumed, and crossed his arms.

"Is this about the paint color?"

Oh Merlin. She didn't know why she took a red eye floo for this. Sure she hadn't seen them in a month, and that was longer than usual, but she was trying to get her fiction series off the ground!

Apparently her publisher was unsure about her ability to write fiction.

"Of course not. You just want the blue to remind you of her."

"It was one kiss Draco! One kiss a million years ago, and I didn't even like it! It was terrible in fact. I don't hold all of your ex lovers against you."

"Oliver Wood."

"Excuse me. Don't you dare bring that up! He was my keeper! He's a famous Quidditch player. There is a very big difference. Plus you actually slept with the ponce."

"Do I really need to be here for this? I need to get back to convince my publisher about my new story. And I have to go by the Burrow, you know Charlie needs help with the baby."

They stopped squabbling to look at her. Draco now wore an amused expression on his face.

"What? What is that expression? You don't think I can do it either do you? Why does no one think I can write a thrilling tale for youths?"

"Maybe because you call them youths," Draco teased.

"I'm creative." She persisted.

"Yes. You're creative. It's just that sometimes you get hung up about details and specifics, which can be a bit boring."

"I am not boring! The Daily Prophet called my first book, 'the most thrilling update on dragons in a century.' It's a best seller. My children's book will be riveting. It's a tale of women empowerment that's what it is."

"Well I look forward to reading it." Harry replied.

"Also, 'the baby' really is a stretch. It's a crup hybrid." Draco added.

"This coming from the man that calls Barnaby 'owl of my heart.' I really like his new water bowl by the way. Temperature control was a brilliant addition." Hermione grinned.

"Perhaps we can look at color samples again," Draco continued with a softer expression, "sage might be a nice compromise."

"I like sage," Harry agreed, coming over to wrap his arms around Draco.

"Are you both going to join me back at The Burrow? Charlie and I are heading back tomorrow. You don't want to see your Godpup?"

"15 minutes." Draco responded with a twinkle in his eye.

"30." Harry amended with a grin.

"Oh bollocks, not this again. Don't start that until I'm in the floo."

"Hypocrite!" Draco called out, as she flooed to The Burrow.

—

When she arrived, The Burrow was bustling with life like always. It was her favorite part about spending time here. Family. Her family.

She heard a loud commotion outside as all the grandkids wrestled with her new crup.

"Yip! Yip!" Followed by giggles.

She smiled looking around for Charlie. They had saved the crup from an illegal breeding facility they uncovered just outside of Bulgaria.

They saved hundreds of magical creatures that day and all with Lucius' help.

She had softened to the man over the years. He was an excellent resource for some of their undercover work.

Hermione hadn't even known the facility held anything else but dragons. The dragons were kept in cages and used for a dark potion ring, so they needed Lucius to be their point man from the Auror office.

He wasn't an Auror but they kept him on staff for consult work such as that. He hadn't had any slip ups since the war and seemed to truly have turned over a new leaf. Teddy helped her trust him again as well. He was now almost as decorated in dragon tattoos as she was.

She went upstairs to find Charlie. She didn't hear anyone else inside, so she would have to look outside next if she didn't find him.

She stopped when she got to the door. She heard a soft moan, and heavy breathing. Her heart rate quickened. What was he doing? It was the middle of the afternoon!

She quietly unlocked the door with her wand and peeked in through a crack.

There was Charlie in bed. Completely naked. He was wanking, giving himself a knob job, taming the dragon so to speak.

Hermione was speechless as she noticed a spell from his wand. Her spell!

"Momento temporis."

She watched the moment Charlie had chosen.

It was her. She was on the hilltop where they had taken the baby dragon. It was quite hot that day, and she was wearing a white dress that sheered with the sunshine. One strap fell off her shoulder and Charlie came up from behind her to move the strap back in place. She turned her head to smile at him.

This was what he masturbated to? A simple moment between them? She was fully clothed. It surprised her, and melted her heart a little bit.

Hermione opened the door further. Charlie let out a slight gasp, as he noticed her walk in.

"Voyeur." He teased, without stopping his hand from sliding up and down his shaft.

Hermione slowly brought her blouse over her head teasing her nipples through her bra.

Charlie liked it when she did that.

"Hermione." He whispered slowing down his movements, savoring the sight of her body as she stripped.

"That's a really sweet moment, Charlie," she spoke, "but I was thinking something more like this,"

"Momento temporis" She said thinking back to the moment she wanted.

He watched as her wand brought it to life.

They were in the throes of passion. Charlie had her propped on the desk in this very room. Her legs were wrapped around his shoulders as he slowly and deliberately fucked her.

"The desk again?" He asked her as she removed her knickers.

She smiled as she walked over towards the desk. He followed her with a predatory look on his face.

He kissed her. Every time he kissed her, she felt the same things: overwhelming passion, deep seated happiness, and a sense of peace that she was with the right man.

Her life was completely different now. She was an established author and had gained quite a bit of respect in the academic community. Charlie was still working for the reserve while following her around the world so she could complete her research.

They learned about dragons together, and she couldn't believe that she was still learning new things every day. Typhoon and Deathclaw had mated, and were currently watching over 3 dragon eggs back near their home. She couldn't wait for them to hatch and follow the new babies up from infancy. It was the perfect subject of the third installment in her series about dragons.

The baby dragon from Gringotts, who they now called Knut, was thriving with his father. They visited monthly to administer potions and ointments to the now healthy dragon clan.

She was so happy.

When they finished making love on the desk, Hermione lay in Charlie's arms in his childhood bedroom.

"Mum's badgering me about proposing again." Charlie told her while he stroked her hair.

"We both knew she would. What did you tell her?" She asked him.

"That for all intents and purposes, we were already married. Quite happy too."

She nuzzled into his chest.

Quite happy indeed.


End file.
